The Throne of Flames and Ashes
by iPods-and-Tea
Summary: Zuko's daughter, Ursa (aka Honora), has been thrusted upon the throne at the tender age of eighteen. She was never prepared to uphold ruling the Fire Nation at such a young age, like her father, will she be able to handle the pressures of the throne?
1. Chapter 1

"You can't possibly increase taxes that high on the middle class," Zuko commented, in the midst of another important council meeting for the Republic City board. The old man in the white trench coat glared at the fire lord as he made that comment.

"And, _why not_, Fire Lord Zuko?" The man asked as he peaked his furry, white eyebrow.

"Because, before I reformed the taxes in the Fire Nation, the taxes on the middle class were absolutely absurd with how high they were. The whole nation's economy was falling to pieces because it was all weighed on the middle class! There was hardly _one left_ because they'd all been _taxed out of it_!" Zuko rebutted.

"Maybe Zuko is right, Henok," Katara said to the man in the long, white coat and he scowled to the avatar's wife as well.

"We have to pay to pave the roads somehow, with all these people moving in!" Henok argued.

"Why don't we just give an equal percentage tax to everyone?" Aang suggested and Katara and Zuko nodded along affirmatively.

"Exactly, that's what I issued for the Fire N-" Zuko began as Henok cut him off.

"That's all well and good, _Fire Lord_ Zuko, but this isn't the _Fire Nation_!" Henok snapped as an interruption.

"Headmaster Henok, I know you mean well, but Zuko runs a country, and has been running a country, since he was younger than my children. I think it may be wise to listen to a thing or two he has to say about taxes," Aang retorted to Henok's interruption.

"Well, the fact of the matter is, with all due respect, Fire Lord Zuko, that this isn't your country," Henok explained, "Perhaps this meeting should be cut to just Avatar Aang and I for now."

"Aang is going to have to listen to you gab on alone?" Katara said as she quickly slapped her hand to her mouth, realizing what she'd just said aloud, as Zuko smirked and Aang snickered.

"Yes," Henok groaned curtly.

"Alright, I guess Zuko and I will just go for a walk then," Katara said with a shrug, "See you later, sweetie!" Katara called to her husband as Zuko held the door for their exit.

"Bye, Aang," Zuko waved.

"Yeah, bye, Katara, bye, Zuko," Aang griped as he enviously watched them eagerly skip out of the loathed capitol building.

Meanwhile, the teenaged children of the avatar and co. were spending the day on Air Temple Island, while their parents' meeting was held. They were all sitting by a pond, drinking iced tea with lemon, and laughing.

"Remember the time Aunt Toph snuck us all into that pro-bending match before back when our parents vehemently opposed it," Kya said with a giggle, standing by the pond with Ursa and Lin.

"How could I forget," Ursa said as she cracked a wry smile, "She signed us up for a match and everything."

"Well, if it weren't for Mom, we never would've gotten into pro-bending in the first place," Lin added.

"My dad probably would've liked that," Ursa joked. As the girls conversed and reminisced by the pond, Tenzin and Bumi were sitting on a ledge, as Bumi concocted a prank.

"How mad do you think Ursa would be if I pushed her into the pond right now?" Bumi asked his brother with a snort.

"She'd kill you," Tenzin answered brusquely.

"I'm gonna do it anyway," Bumi stated.

"Nice knowing you," Tenzin replied nonchalantly, used to his brother's shenanigans. Bumi then waited for his crush to turn so he'd be out of her view, she was still holding her glass of iced tea and laughing at a joke made by Lin and his sister. Bumi jeered as he saw this as an opportune time to strike, he then stealthily crept over next to the Fire Nation princess and gave her one graceful shove forward. Ursa gasped as she lost her balance and splashed, face-first and head-over-heels, into the pond water, sending her drink flying, and landing all over her head and hair, the glass shattering, luckily, beside her. Lin and Kya began a fit of laughter alongside Bumi.

"You need a towel, princess?" Bumi asked.

"BUMI!" Ursa screamed in fury as she stood up.

"I'm just trying to be a gentleman," Bumi laughed.

"I AM GOING TO LIGHT YOU ON FIRE, I SWEAR," Ursa shouted as she rung out her tea-drenched hair.

"Aw, come on now, don't be like that!" Bumi teased, "Royalty," Bumi sarcastically whispered to Lin in Ursa's earshot.

"I may be a princess, but you're the one who's a royal pain!" Ursa shouted as her quick temper began to wither and she sprouted a blue flame from her hand.

"Aw, come on, Ursa! It-it was just a joke, no need for crazy firebending magic!" Bumi said defensively as Ursa flung fire just from aim and he sighed in relief.

"Next time it won't be above your head," Ursa threatened.

"Here," Kya said behind a giggle as she waterbent her friend dry.

"Thanks, Kya," Ursa said as she walked over to Bumi and shoved him on the ground before folding her arms over her chest and sitting down on the ledge next to Tenzin. Bumi then glanced up to his sister and secret-crush, Lin with a smirk and they giggled with him at his trick.

Katara and Zuko were walking the bustling streets of the metropolis known as Republic City together as Katara's stomach began to grumble.

"You hungry?" Zuko asked with a smile.

"I guess so," Katara admitted with a laugh.

"Why don't we go somewhere and grab a bite to eat for breakfast, I didn't eat anything since the meeting was so early. Mai would have my head knowing I keep skipping breakfast," Zuko suggested.

"That sounds good to me!" Katara said, "And you shouldn't skip breakfast, Zuko, it is the most important meal of the day."

"Thanks for the health tip, Katara. You and Mai can start a club," Zuko joked.

"Maybe we will!" Katara declared and Zuko snickered.

"Come on," Zuko said with a laugh as he put a friendly hand on her back, as they entered a restaurant. The little restaurant was actually quite busy. It had a good reputation in Republic City for serving the best pancakes in town, and it had loyal customers who came for their tea or coffee every morning before heading off to work. There was even currently a line for a table since it was so busy.

"This place is always so crowded. I remember taking the kids here with Aang when they were little and it was still crowded even then," Katara said as she began to remove her coat.

"Really? It seems like a nice place," Zuko added as all-of-a-sudden he felt a sharp pang of pain in his upper abdomen and groaned while clutching at it.

"Zuko?" Katara said in concern as she saw her friend wince.

"I'm fine," Zuko dismissed and Katara furrowed her brows in concern, not buying it.

"You're not, what's wrong?" Katara demanded.

"It's nothing, it's been happening a lot lately. It's just from stress or something, don't worry about it," Zuko reassured.

"Well, it's not good. You need to relax more often if you're getting this kind of pain all from work," Katara stated.

"Katara, I think I can handle it, it has been twenty-five years of this," Zuko said with a half-grin.

"Oh, don't say that, it's making me feel old," Katara replied.

"At least you haven't hit your forties yet," Zuko joked.

"Next month," Katara replied with a laugh.

"My daughter will be _eighteen_ next month," Zuko said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"They've grown up _so fast_. I can't believe my Kya is nineteen and Bumi is already eighteen himself…and Tenzin is sixteen, he's still a baby," Katara said with a laugh.

"Ah, Master Katara! I haven't seen you in awhile! Oh, and you brought along your friend, Fire Lord Zuko! It's an honor to be waiting on you, your highness!" The attendee said.

"Thank you, but there's no need for special treatment or anything, you can just give us a normal table whenever there's one available," Zuko stated, blushing.

"That would be rude to do to the Fire Lord and the avatar's wife! I won't have it!" He said as he clapped for a waiter to tend to them, "Please seat Fire Lord Zuko and Master Katara immediately!"

"Why of course," The waiter answered promptly, "Right this way, please," the waiter said as he led Zuko and Katara to a booth and handed them their menus. "I will be back to take your orders in a moment, please, take your time," The waiter said as he walked off.

"I told him no special treatment," Zuko said as he sighed.

"They never listen," Katara replied. "Anyways, I'm going to get a stack of pancakes and a cup of Jasmine tea, what're you going to get, Zuko?"

"Jasmine tea…my uncle's favorite," Zuko noted with a nostalgic smile. Katara smiled sympathetically as Zuko sighed and looked back to the menu, "I think I'll just try the pancakes, if they're as good as everyone seems to think…and I'll have a cup of Jasmine too."

"You miss him," Katara stated sadly and Zuko sighed.

"Every day," Zuko replied and Katara put a comforting hand over his, "Ursa misses him terribly, they were so close."

"I know, we all loved him, he lived a good life though, Zuko. He loved you and Ursa-a lot," Katara assured and Zuko smiled.

"I know, it's just…." Zuko began.

"It hurts, I know," Katara finished as she absentmindedly grabbed at her mother's betrothal necklace around her neck. The waiter then came back, took Katara and Zuko's orders and promptly returned with their meals.

"This is actually…really good," Zuko commented as he ate the stack of pancakes coated with maple syrup.

"See, I told you!" Katara replied as she sipped at her cup of tea. Suddenly, Zuko moaned in pain again. "Zuko."

"Katara, it's nothing," Zuko said as he continued to grip at his upper chest.

"It's not nothing, Zuko!" Katara insisted, "This is the second time this morning alone!"

"I told you, it's just some side effects from stress, I only sleep three hours a night," Zuko brushed it off.

"Three hours!" Katara exclaimed, and Zuko rolled his eyes, why'd he tell her that? Katara was always so nagging and motherly towards her friends, ever since they became friends. She doted on Zuko, Toph, Suki, and even her brother, like they were her children, Zuko only imagined what Aang went through as her husband. "You never told anyone that!"

"It's only been the last couple of years, I keep getting nervous," Zuko explained, shooing his hand at her.

"Nervous? What's going on?" Katara fretted.

"Nothing, I'm just…pranoid," Zuko said, sipping at his tea.

"Zuko, are assassins at you again?" Katara asked, "They haven't been for years, you promised you'd tell Aang if they were!"

"No, no, no, they're not, I'm just all paranoid of them, and after finishing all of the things I need to do, when I finally do lie down, I jump at every sound," Zuko stated.

"Zuko, that's horrible. You, Mai, and Ursa need to get out, you need a vacation," Katara suggested.

"I'd love a vacation!" Zuko said, "But the country isn't going to run itself! And….ever since uncle passed away…th-there's no one to look over it so I can take my family out…" Zuko sighed, "I feel like I've been neglecting them."

"Zuko, Aang and I could take care of things for a week or two if you want to get away with your family, you know that. Or even Sokka or Toph, you know they'd be more than happy to," Katara offered.

"I don't want to burden you guys with that," Zuko replied, "It's too stressful to throw on any of you," Zuko said as leaned his head back into his hands in pain.

"That's it!" Katara exclaimed, "Something is wrong with you, Zuko! What's going on?"

"My chest gets these pains, Katara, it's no big deal, come on, we better go meet back up with Aang now," Zuko said and Katara crossed her arms over her chest as they both threw a tip down along with a check for the bill, on the table and made their way back to the capitol hall. When they arrived back at the council hall, Aang was already waiting outside with a glum demeanor.

"Everything go okay, sweetie?" Katara asked as she ran up to her husband and pecked him on the lips as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Aang sighed and leaned his head onto his wife's.

"Yeah, we made a compromise, for now, nothing is official-still," Aang said.

"Nothing ever will be with that guy, he's stubborn as hell," Zuko added.

"Sounds like someone else," Katara said as she squinted at him.

"What'd Zuko do now?" Aang teased.

"Zuko is having pains in his chest and panic attacks and only sleeps three hours a night, but won't discuss it," Katara said.

"I regret letting it out," Zuko stated flatly.

"Zuko, you alright?" Aang said as he snaked his arm around Katara's shoulders.

"Yes, I'm fine for the nine-hundredth time," Zuko said, "This is just like when we were kids, Katara, you've gotten no better!"

"What do you mean?" Katara replied behind a smirk.

"After the agni kai was over, you asked me at least a hundred times if I was okay, and after that, Aang, Sokka, and Suki wouldn't stop asking either-come to think of it, I think even Toph asked a couple of times," Zuko said as Aang laughed.

"The agni kai…" Katara pondered, "Zuko, where did you say your chest hurt?"

"Where are you going with this, you don't honestly think that Zuko's scar from the agni kai is related to whatever pains he's having now?" Aang asked.

"It's possible," Katara said, "Where does it hurt, Zuko?"

"Here, it is the same spot as where Azula hit me, yeah," Zuko admitted.

"That's weird, Katara healed _you twenty-five years ago_," Aang said, "My scar on my back from when Azula hit me never hurt afterwards."

"Does it hurt anywhere else, Zuko?" Katara asked.

"You guys are fussing way too much over this. But yeah, sometimes it hurts here too," Zuko said as he rubbed the area of his chest above his heart.

"Zuko, that's where _your heart_ is!" Katara said worriedly, "Come on, let's go back to our place, I'll take a look there."

"Katara, come on, it's just stress, stuff like this has been happening since I was a kid, this is ridiculous-"

"No, Zuko, Katara's right, I don't like this either, let her check it out, alright, _Sifu Hotman_?" Aang said with a joke as he gave his friend's shoulder a squeeze in reassurance and Zuko sighed.

"Fine," He reluctantly agreed bluntly.

Back at Air Temple Island, Ursa was still angry with Bumi, and sitting on the cement ledge next to Tenzin.

"You're brother's a pain, Tenzin, in case you haven't noticed," Ursa complained.

"You've known him longer than me, but I have the _pleasure _of living with him," Tenzin joked and Ursa giggled. Bumi watched Ursa giggle with his younger brother and even though he knew for a fact that Tenzin had a thing for Lin, and Tenzin and Ursa were nothing more than close friends, he couldn't held but feel a tinge of jealousy. He glared at his brother subconsciously and left his conversation with his sister and Lin to interrupt Ursa and his little brother.

"Hey, Tenzin, Princess, what cha up to?" Bumi asked coyly as he leaned his arm on the wall and beamed a smile. Ursa rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, go away, Bumi, why don't you go shove someone in the pond," Ursa grumbled.

"It was just a joke, and my sis dried you off, don't get your knickers in a twist," Bumi stated.

"Excuse me!" Ursa said, sticking her nose to him.

"I've been pulling tricks since we were in diapers, what is your problem!" Bumi shouted; as he mentally slapped himself, fight with her, real smooth.

"Maybe it's the fact that in less than a month I will be an official adult!" Ursa snapped, "And, you already are!"

"We're still kids, slow down," Bumi said as he waved his hand.

"Your father had saved the world by the time he was thirteen!" Ursa rebutted.

"It doesn't mean he never fooled around," Bumi said, "He was-is a total goofball."

"Whatever, Bumi, just let me be, okay!" Ursa grumbled as she stormed off and Bumi scrunched his nose in confusion.

"What is her problem? She's never like this!" Bumi exclaimed as the girls and Tenzin just shrugged, equally confounded by their friend's overreaction. Bumi then sighed, kicked the dirt and made his way inside where he downtroddenly plopped himself down at the table beside his uncle.

"Hey, buddy, you alright?" Sokka asked his downcast nephew while placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Not really, Uncle Sokka," Bumi replied with a sigh, blowing the bangs from his face.

"What's the problem, bud? Uncle Sokka is here to help!" Sokka explained.

"It's Ursa!" Bumi growled in frustration.

"Ah, yes, Ursa, Fire Lord Zuko's daughter, the belle of the Fire Nation, princess, and heir to the throne," Sokka said with a smirk.

"You say that like she's a stranger and like you weren't one of the people who fed her her bottle when she was a baby," Bumi grumbled and Sokka couldn't help but laugh at the similarity between himself and his young nephew.

"I was just listing some of her qualities," Sokka stated.

"I know her qualities, Uncle Sokka, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with her, you've kind of been teasing me about it for years," Bumi moaned.

"Tricky situation, falling for one of your childhood best friends," Sokka said contemplatively.

"What would you know about it, Aunt Suki was your girlfriend from the start," Bumi mumbled.

"True, but Bumi, did you ever, I don't know, tell Ursa that you like her?" Sokka asked.

"I can't! What if she doesn't and then I ruin our friendship! Though, I think I already did, she's super pissed at me," Bumi cried.

"What, she just being a girl?" Sokka asked.

"Yes! I pushed her in the pond, but Kya dried her off, and she won't stop griping about it! Then she ran off in a snit about how we're adults now or something and how my dad saved the world when he was like ten or whatever!" Bumi explained.

"Sounds like it's time to go in for the kill!" Sokka advised.

"It sounds like a terrible time for that!" Bumi moaned.

"She's looking for attention, trust me, Suki used to do the same thing," Sokka whispered, to be sure his wife wouldn't overhear him from the other room where she was having tea with Toph.

"Really? Aunt Suki?" Bumi inquired.

"Yup," Sokka affirmed, "Just go for it, plus, she's into you too, trust me."

"How do you know?" Bumi asked skeptically.

"I have eyes and ears that's how," Sokka answered sarcastically.

"Thanks, Uncle Sokka," Bumi said with a confident smile as he stood up and dashed out the door. Sokka smiled, feeling quite pleased with himself.

"You done good, Uncle Sokka, you done good," Sokka mused aloud as his wife and best friend came in right as he kicked his feet up on the table, sipping a bottle of cactus juice.

"Sokka, what on earth did you just put into my nephew's head?" Suki asked.

"Girl advice, damn good girl advice!" Sokka answered.

"Bumi's doomed, he's dying alone, it's official," Toph said and Suki slapped her arm, "It ain't his fault, it's that bonehead's! Whatever he told him is going to wind up making him single forever."

"Well, I'm not," Sokka rebutted with a pouty face.

"Not. A. Word." Suki said, stopping Toph from making a comment she knew was sure to come as Toph snickered. Suddenly, a pounding at the door interrupted their conversation.

"Hello, all," Katara said brightly as she entered her own home to the welcoming sight of her brother, sister-in-law, and friend.

"How'd the meeting go over, Katara?" Sokka questioned his sister.

"Aang says we're still in a stalemate," Katara answered, "But I've got to check Zuko out now, as soon as he and Aang get in."

"Why, what's Sparky's problem?" Toph asked.

"He's having pain in his chest, where that old scar is, and his heart aches, I wanted to take a look to be sure," Katara replied.

"The scar from when he saved you?" Sokka asked and Katara hesitated.

"…Y-yeah…" Katara answered, a pang of guilt sitting in the pit of her stomach, "From when he…saved _me_."

"Eh, you saved me back," Zuko dismissed as he and Aang entered the house.

"Zuko, you jumped in front of a fatal bolt of lightning aimed at my wife," Aang said, "Don't try to discredit yourself for that one," Aang said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"So what's this I hear about you and your heart attacks, Zuko?" Sokka asked nonchalantly.

"Sokka! Don't say that! That would be horrible!" Suki snapped and Zuko laughed.

"That's how they're all acting, I'll tell you that, Sokka," Zuko said.

"Better safe than sorry, now come on, let me have a look at that old scar upstairs," Katara ordered.

"Fine, but no need to tell Mai about this, or Ursa," Zuko said as he reluctantly followed Katara up the stairs.

"I have to tell Mai, I'd feel awful if Aang was having health problems and I didn't know," Katara cried.

"She worries too much about me already," Zuko complained.

"She deserves to know, now sit down," Katara said and Zuko rolled his eyes with compliance.

"Yes, Dr. Katara," Zuko joked.

"Zuko, you're gonna have to take off your shirt for a second," Katara said awkwardly as she blushed.

"Oh…ugh…okay," Zuko mumbled as he also began to flush red as he threw his shirt off to the side. Katara then sat on the bed beside him and took a look at the old scar, the same one she'd healed twenty-five years prior on a flaming battlefield. The scar was inflamed, red, and irritated. Katara noticed this and pressed a cool pool of water on it as Zuko grimaced and grunted in slight discomfort.

"Zuko, something's definitely wrong," Katara explained as she continued trying to re-heal the wound.

"What do you mean, how could something be wrong with it, it's a dead piece of skin tissue," Zuko rationalized.

"I-I don't know…" Katara confessed, "I'm a healer, not a doctor."

"It's probably just…a rash or something," Zuko said as he grabbed his shirt and began putting it back on, Katara sighed with worry.

"Zuko, please see a doctor when you get home," Katara asked.

"Okay, okay," Zuko agreed, as to just end all of the fussing over his petty chest pains. Katara took her friend by the shoulder.

"Zuko, please, I mean it, it's probably nothing, but just in case, okay?" Katara asked and Zuko sighed.

"Alright, Katara, I'll ask the doctor back at the palace about it," Zuko agreed and Katara smiled.

"Good, then enough of that, let's go see what the others are up to," Katara replied as Zuko and Katara made their way downstairs.

Ursa was leaning up against a faded, old, oak tree that was half barren and half painted with autumn colors. Bumi approached her as he trekked up the hill. He pulled a weed from around the tree's roots up and held it behind his back as he tapped Ursa on the shoulder lightly. She shot around and glared when she saw Bumi.

"What do you want?" Ursa snapped.

"I wanted to say sorry, and I brought sorry flowers," Bumi said as he stuck the weeds in her face. Ursa glanced down at them, unimpressed, but hiding her giggles.

"Those are a bundle of weeds that are also right beneath your feet," Ursa stated.

"Oh," Bumi said as he tossed them to the ground and stepped on them as he flashed a quirky grin and Ursa couldn't help but begin to laugh at his idiosyncrasies, "See, you haven't laughed in awhile, what's gotten into you lately?"

"I don't know, life at the palace, my dad keeping me caged in like a bird," Ursa said behind her laugh.

"So you don't hate me?" Bumi asked.

"Bumi, you're one of my best friends on earth, I grew up with you, _I love you_," Ursa said as she kicked at the tree, staring at her feet, and Bumi's face turned beat-red.

"Well…I mean…I love you too, Ursa…but I-ugh…not just the way I love Kya…or-or my mom…or Lin even…I think I ugh…I think I love you like…umm…the way…that ugh…a guy and a girl…um…you know…like our parents….erm-not that I'm proposing, oh man….not yet, I mean! That would be too fast to even suggest that we'd, not that I wouldn't love for you to be my bride someday, it's just this would be too sudden, and I just mean that-" Bumi went on rambling his lovesick confession, scratching the back of his head awkwardly and blushing, when Ursa interrupted him by grabbing him by the shirt collar and pulling him into a deep kiss. Bumi was taken off guard and his eyes bolted wide open as Ursa fell deeper into the kiss, wracking her hands through his scruffy, brunette hair, Bumi then indulged himself into the kiss and his eyelids fluttered shut and he pressed up against her and tasted her cherry lipstick. He wrapped his callous hands around her waist, snaking them around her hips, as she pushed him up against the oak tree and her hands moved along his defined chest and his combed through her smooth, silken black locks and they stayed for minutes endorsed in each other, releasing all of their feelings held bottled up for all those years.

"Bumi, I love you too, like you said," Ursa finally replied as she gasped for breath alongside Bumi as he smiled.

"Really?" He asked as he laughed in relief, leaning his sweaty forehead up against hers.

"Yeah," Ursa laughed back, "And, I think the word you were looking for was romantically."

"Yeah, that, definitely that," Bumi said.

"I-I was so afraid that you…wouldn't like me back…or if I said something, I don't know, we wouldn't be friends anymore," Ursa confessed as she blushed and leaned her head up against his chest, burying it into his shoulder to hide her embarrassed laughter.

"That's exactly how I felt!" Bumi exclaimed in relief as he embraced her and the two of them just started laughing in relief and joy of their newfound, yet familiar, company.

Bumi and Ursa were still out, as the hours grew on, and the sun set. Lin, Kya, and Tenzin were all back with their parents, having dinner at Katara and Aang's place.

"This is delicious, Katara!" Sokka exclaimed enthusiastically as he bit into the meat.

"You're just excited about any kind of meat," Suki mumbled and Sokka pouted at her as the rest of them laughed. Zuko was just poking at his food when he let out a sigh.

"Where do you think those two are?" Zuko said desperately, "I'm getting worried."

"I don't know, Bumi said Ursa was real mad at him," Sokka explained with his mouth full.

"You're leaving out several details, Sokka," Suki added and Zuko raised his eyebrow.

"Bumi has the hots for your daughter, Sparky," Toph said bluntly and Zuko's expression grew stern.

"Toph!" Aang yelled as Kya, Tenzin, and Lin were hysterically laughing.

"Well, it's true, everyone's known it since they were like twelve!" Toph stated and Katara covered her mouth were the palm of her hand to hide her smirking.

"Alright, so I gave the guy some tips," Sokka said.

"You _what_?" Zuko shouted.

"Calm down, Zuko, it's Bumi," Sokka said.

"I cannot believe you…you gave your nephew…_tips _about my little girl!" Zuko yelled.

"Well, Zuko, buddy, let's face it, she's not so little anymore, and it's not like the feelings aren't mutual. You want her to die an old maid? You and Mai were dating when you were like fifteen," Sokka excused.

"I don't care!" Zuko snapped.

"I wouldn't worry, Zuko, Bumi wouldn't have let anything happen to her," Aang stated with a grin and Zuko pouted and muttered beneath his breath. Just then, Bumi and Ursa burst open the door, giggling, hand-in-hand, everyone's eyes on them as their giggling ceased in its tracks.

"We do something wrong?" Bumi asked.

"You just went off for hours without telling anyone!" Zuko yelled.

"Daddy, I was just with Bumi," Ursa explained.

"Yeah, I know," Zuko grumbled.

"I know it's late, but we lost track of time, sorry, Uncle Zuko!" Bumi said and Zuko sighed and sadly looked over Bumi and his daughter. Neither of them were children anymore, Bumi wasn't the little boy who asked for sword lessons anymore and Ursa wasn't the little baby girl who he gave piggyback rides too on a daily basis anymore. Bumi was a young man and his daughter was a beautiful young woman.

"It's alright," Zuko said sadly.

"So, what were you two doing," Lin asked as she made kissy faces and they both blushed and Zuko tried his best not to lose his temper.

"Knock it off, Lin!" Bumi grumbled as everyone laughed, aside from Zuko, who was still pouting.

"Lighten up, Zuko," Aang said as he gave him a playful shove and Zuko half-smiled, but then winced in pain, grabbing at his heart this time and putting his head down.

"Daddy?" Ursa said in concern as she saw her father in pain.

"I'm fine, honey," Zuko said, but his daughter didn't seem convinced.

"You okay, Uncle Zuko?" Bumi asked.

"Yeah, I'm alright, son," Zuko replied.

"What's wrong, Uncle Zuko?" Kya asked.

"This is what I was talking about," Katara said, "Zuko, do you need a glass of water or something?" Katara asked as she stood up.

"No, no, I'm fine, Katara, honestly," Zuko assured, but no one at the table looked convinced.

"Ursa, make sure your mom knows about your dad's pains, alright?" Aang said to Ursa and she nodded.

"And, tell her to make him see a doctor!" Sokka said.

"Sparky's too stubborn for his own good, Mai's the only one who will make him go," Toph commented.

"Is-is he okay?" Ursa asked as she put her hands on her father's shoulders.

"I don't think it's anything, I took a look, but it would be good to just make sure," Katara said to Ursa while putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Alright, Aunt Katara," Ursa smiled back to her.

"The fuss made over my stupid chest pain today is ridiculous," Zuko complained as he stood up, "I really need to be going now, though."

"So soon, Zuko?" Aang asked.

"Yeah, Fire Lord fun awaits me at home," Zuko said sarcastically, putting his hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"Alright, well, go to bed at a decent hour this time!" Aang said and everyone started throwing their two cents in about Zuko's bedtime.

"I will, I will," Zuko assured.

"I'll make sure of it!" Ursa stated as she looked to her father and Zuko shook his head.

"See you later, guys," Zuko said as Katara, Suki, Kya, Lin, and Toph all gave him a hug farewell.

"Take care of yourself," Katara said as Aang, Sokka, Bumi, and Tenzin all shook Zuko's hand and said their goodbyes as well, also all giving an embrace to Ursa and bidding her farewell as well. After exchanging temporary goodbyes, Ursa and Zuko got into the hot air balloon they came in, and took off for home.

They finally arrived home, late and the guards all rushed out to escort them in as they did routinely. Ursa yawned and went straight to bed, ignoring her mother waiting for her and her father by the door. Zuko then walked inside and was stopped and startled by his wife as she wrapped her arms around his arm and leaned her head into it.

"Mai," Zuko said in surprise.

"Hey, Zuko, how'd it go?" Mai asked and Zuko shrugged.

"I think our daughter has a boyfriend…" Zuko grumbled in distress and Mai smirked.

"Bumi," She stated knowingly and Zuko nodded grumpily and she smiled, "It's about time."

"How can you be happy about this?" Zuko cried.

"She's nearly eighteen, Zuko, she can have a boyfriend, and I'm not worried about him breaking her heart, I can tell the boy has loved her a long time," Mai replied, "Don't worry."

"I guess…I mean…if she has to have a boyfriend, I am glad it's Bumi…" Zuko confessed, "I have to go sign some more documents now, Mai."

"Zuko, can't you come to bed, it's two in the morning now, if you start them now you won't get any rest," Mai said as she cupped her hand around his cheek.

"Mai, you know I wish I could," Zuko said.

"You already worked all day today, Zuko, you never sleep, it's been getting worse these last couple of months, it's always been bad, but it's getting ridiculous," Mai argued.

"Mai, I'm so tired, but I have to finish them, the more I put it off, the more there is the next day, and I would love to go to bed, I'm exhausted as hell, but you know I can't," Zuko explained, as Ursa then crept out of her room, in her pajamas, to make a comment.

"Daddy, you promised everyone that you'd go to sleep!" Ursa shouted and Mai raised her eyebrow in curiosity.

"They don't know all the work I have to do," Zuko grumbled.

"You said you would, and you said you'd see the doctor too!" Ursa snapped.

"Doctor?" Mai said as she turned her husband's face to face her, a serious look on her face, "Zuko, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, Mai," Zuko said.

"Mom, his chest hurts, and his heart, that's what Aunt Katara told me," Ursa explained.

"Okay, I get these pains, but they're nothing, it's just stress related," Zuko blew off.

"I don't care! You are coming to bed now, Zuko! And, you are going to see Dr. Kurei first thing you wake up! One night's rest will do you good, the papers can wait!" Mai ordered and Zuko sighed in defeat.

"Alright, alright, anything to get you all off my case," Zuko grumbled and Ursa smiled.

"Goodnight, Daddy!" Ursa said as she crept back into her bedroom.

"Come on, Fire Lord, time to go to sleep!" Mai ordered as Zuko couldn't help but smirk and yield to his wife's demands, and not-as-reluctantly-as-he-pretended, crawl into bed for a night's rest at long last.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ursa, will you please just finish your food," Mai groaned to her teenage daughter across the long, mahogany table. The table had the fire nation emblem encrusted into its woodcarving and the silken, red tablecloth was also embroidered with the same design in black.

"I don't see why I have to eat it _all_," Ursa complained back to her mother. She kept poking at a pile of vegetables in the corner of her plate like a child. Ursa couldn't focus on her dinner, especially the part she didn't like. She was too busy stuck in a daydream about her boyfriend, their "month-a-versery", her upcoming birthday, and everything else happening in her life. Things finally seemed to be going well for her and that was a rarity she'd forgotten since the death of her great-uncle.

"Just do it, there are people starving in the Water Tribe who'd kill for that meal, so eat it," Mai ordered curtly as she continued cutting her beef. Her daughter rolled her eyes at her and glared in her direction. She then closed her eyes and switched her gaze to her father for confirmation on her mother's comment and command.

"Please just eat it, honey," Zuko said as he rubbed his eyes in exhaustion while he himself poked at his food. Ursa squinted as she noticed her father wasn't heeding his own advice.

"This is ridiculous, I'm almost eighteen, you don't have to taunt me to finish my meal if I'm not hungry. Dad's an adult and he won't eat his food, I'm nearly an adult, so why should I be forced to finish mine!" Ursa declared stubbornly.

"If you want to be treated like an adult then start acting like one, a: by just eating your damn food," Mai grumbled while she bit into her steak.

"I'm going out tonight anyway," Ursa said while she inspected her newly trimmed and groomed nails. Zuko and Mai both perked their eyebrows in alarm.

"_Are _you now?" Zuko said from across the table to his daughter.

"Yeah, I'm going out with Bumi tonight," Ursa stated.

"Not tonight," Zuko said curtly.

"Why not?" Ursa snapped as she jolted up from her seat. Why wouldn't her father let her go out? They'd gone on dates before and tonight was their anniversary.

"Calm down, Ursa," Mai hushed as she waved her hand to her daughter, urging her to sit back down.

"Fine, but I am going out with Bumi tonight, we already had this set up!" Ursa demanded. Zuko sighed, he was tired, didn't feel well, and he thought it was too late for his daughter to go out, not to mention the late notice and the incoming storm.

"You're not, but where did you two plan on going?" Zuko asked as he pushed his plate aside.

"I am, and we're going to see a movie in Republic City and then we're going out for a cup of tea, that's all, Dad," Ursa insisted.

"Ursa, I trust you, honey, I do, but it's too late, you never told me or your mother about this until now, and there's a storm heading in tonight," Zuko rationalized.

"It's a thunderstorm, it's not a big deal, and I'm old enough to not ask your permission weeks in advance! It's only seven and Bumi is coming at eight!" Ursa argued.

"We said no, that means no, now sit down, Princess," Mai said with a sigh and Ursa scowled, her mother's typical cynical attitude was irritating her today.

"That's not fair!" Ursa cried, she knew she was behaving like an immature pest, but she couldn't help it, she'd looked forward to this night for a week. Zuko groaned as he clutched his chest in pain. The pains had been getting worse, more intense, and more frequent over the last month, but he'd told everyone that the exact opposite was occurring.

"Zuko, why don't you go lie down?" Mai said sympathetically to her husband as she saw him moan in pain once more. Zuko just held his head in his hands and nodded no. Ursa looked to her father, seeing him like that scared her. She knew the doctor and Aunt Katara had told her he was fine, but he was always so strong. He was the invincible and brave Fire Lord who helped the avatar end the war, the man who carried her on her back and wiped her eyes when she cried, her father. Seeing him seem so frail and weak recently wasn't a comfortable thing for Ursa to witness.

"Daddy?" Ursa's throat cracked, and she quickly cleared it in embarrassment.

"I'm okay, just please, stay home tonight, you can go out tomorrow or something, alright?" Zuko said as he stood up to leave the table and return back to his work. Ursa's sympathy ran low as he temper rose back up, she wanted to go out with Bumi tonight, that was how they'd planned it all along, she was too excited now.

"Just tell that to Bumi, Ursa, he can even stay here when he gets here if he likes if it's too late to tell him, okay?" Mai said.

"There you go, now you'll see him two days in a row," Zuko said with a smile as he left the dining room to head back to his office, patting Ursa's shoulder as he walked by. Mai smiled to Ursa as she followed her husband into the halls and Ursa pouted and folded her arms over her chest.

"Zuko, are you really okay?" Mai whispered as she cupped her hand over his tethered, scarred cheek. Zuko put his hand over her cold one.

"I'm fine, Mai, don't worry," Zuko fibbed, he couldn't upset her, he couldn't give her the burden of lying awake at night worrying, he knew that burden and how heavy of a load it was to carry. He didn't want to weigh it down on her, his wife.

"Promise?" Mai asked as she ran her hand back through his hair.

"I promise," Zuko fibbed once more in reassurance as he put his hand to her cheek. Mai gazed into his eyes, dubious of his words.

"I love you, Zuko," Mai said whole-heartedly as she stroked the top of his head's hair through the back and bit the bottom of her lip.

"I love you too, Mai," Zuko smiled weakly as he sadly glanced down and fought back the urge to groan as he felt another pang in his chest, "I have to go back down now."

"I know," Mai said, and Zuko wearily half-smiled and gave his wife a quick kiss as their hands gently trailed apart from their lock and Zuko returned back downstairs. Meanwhile, Ursa waited by the enormous, guarded palace door for her boyfriend's arrival. She waited no longer when a knock of the clanging door hanger could be heard and the guards checked the surroundings and allowed the avatar's son entrance. Ursa's face lit up at the sight of her boyfriend and she ran over to embrace him.

"Hey, Ursa!" Bumi said as he pecked her lips and picked her up around the waist by one arm, spinning her around. Ursa started to giggle until Bumi placed her back down, then she took him by the hand and lead him over to a deep red couch. "I do something wrong?"

"No, no, hush up and listen!" Ursa snapped in a whisper, "My parents won't let me go out."

"Why not?" Bumi frowned disappointedly.

"I don't know, thunderstorm or something. But, we're going to go anyway. You took your sky bison here, right?" Ursa asked.

"Yeah, and _his name_ is Floozy!" Bumi corrected as his girlfriend rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, the point is, we can go, they won't even notice!" Ursa said.

"I don't know, Ursa, why don't we just stay here instead," Bumi suggested, similar to Ursa's parents' suggestion.

"I don't want to stay here, I hate this place!" Ursa said, "I'm always trapped within the palace walls, I need to get out or I'll end up less sane than my aunt at age fifteen."

"Al-alright….but won't they notice you're missing…" Bumi said reluctantly.

"Daddy will never notice, he's too busy signing papers or whatever, and I'll make up an excuse to Mom that we're walking in the garden," Ursa explained.

"What if one of them comes looking for you?" Bumi questioned.

"They won't," Ursa insisted, "Now hang tight, I have to let my mom know we'll be out," Ursa said as she darted up the stairs to inform her mother of her lie. Ursa crept through the halls and peeked her head into her parents' bedroom. She saw her mother chucking knives into a dartboard with great precision. Ursa knocked on the door, causing Mai to lose her swift momentum and the knife to be thrown at an incorrect angle, hitting the ground mid-flight.

"Ursa!" Mai snapped as her daughter's eyes widened and Mai sighed, "I'm sorry," Mai apologized, picking up her dropped knife and sliding it back under her sleeve.

"It's okay," Ursa excused, "I did startle you," Ursa admitted, "I just wanted to let you know that Bumi and I are going for a walk in the garden, okay?"

"That sounds fine, Ursa," Mai said while heaving a heavy sigh, but showing her daughter a tender curve of her lips. "Thank you for just staying here tonight, honey. I'm sorry I snapped at you and that you couldn't go out with Bumi tonight. I know you were looking forward to it, I was young too once, believe it or not," Mai laughed, a coating of tears glossing over her eyes as she relinquished another sigh, "Your father hasn't been feeling well, and I'm worried and stressed out, and you just going with things makes…life easier, so thank you, Ursa."

"…Um, you're…welcome, Mom…" Ursa mumbled, staring downward despondently as a tinge of guilt struck at her heart. Her mother didn't mean to be harsh with her; she was worried about her dad. Ursa was worried too, of course, so all of her mother's unusual sweet-talk was only making her feel worse about sneaking out. "Well, see you later, Mom!" Ursa said with some nervous laughter as she darted guiltily out of her parents' master room and back down to where her boyfriend was left seated.

"You tell your mom?" Bumi asked and Ursa nodded as she leapt from a couple of stairs up then grabbed Bumi's hand, pulling him from the couch up from his seat and dragging him along out the doors. "I have a bad feeling about this, Princess!"

"I told you to knock that off, Mister Son-of-the-Avatar!" Ursa rebutted as she continued racing through the palace's exterior. As the couple darted down the pathway, the guards lit the torches down the path to give them light as they made their way to Bumi's bison.

"Well, here we are, your exquisite method of transportation, your highness," Bumi said playfully as he extended his arms towards Floozy and Ursa smirked smugly. Bumi then hopped aboard his beloved pet and reached down his hand to help pull his girlfriend on board. "Where to, m'lady?"

"The stars!" Ursa said in a daydreamy tone as she put her hands on his shoulder, nuzzling her head into his neck causing him to shudder.

"I'm gonna need a closer destination, miss," Bumi teased, killing their romantic moment as Ursa gave him a playful shove.

"You know where we're going," Ursa answered.

"Aye-aye, captain!" Bumi replied, "I ever tell you I'd love to be in the military, commanding people sounds great!"

"Ha ha, Bumi, maybe someday we'll enlist you in the United Forces," Ursa teased.

"Don't laugh, I'd be a great soldier!" Bumi rebutted with a pout.

"Of course you would!" Ursa said, "Now let's go!"

"Right, right, movie, Republic City!" Bumi said with a chuckle, "Yip-yip, Floozy!" Bumi called as his sky bison ascended into the starlit, crisp-aired night, soaring through the stars from the Fire Nation to the illustrious Republic City. After about forty-five minutes, the couple landed in the wonderful metropolis known as the great Republic City, founded upon the renowned and esteemed Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko, both of their very own fathers. Bumi eloped his hand to Ursa, lacing together their fingers in a lock as she looked around and he just stared her in the eyes without her noticing. He couldn't help but notice how stunning she looked. The streetlights gorgeously gave a silver shim to her raven black locks of hair that cascaded down her nearly perfect hourglass figure. Everything about the young lady was beautiful, he loved her smile, her laugh, her passionate amber eyes that shone like sparks of ember in the heat of a fight, the way she could perfectly hit the target of a dartboard with a knife, the way she moved when she fought along his best friend and sister in a pro-bending match, her exceptional blue fire-bending, to even down to her firey quick temper inherited from her father to match her fire-bending. He loved it all, and she was finally his, and he just wanted to take in every breath to every inch of her in the heat and spark of this very moment, he'd wanted nothing more since they were children as he watched her grow up.

The two lovers in their honeymoon phase then headed to their movie and as the silent, black and white flick flashed against the projector, Bumi was practically in tears from the sappy picture on the silver screen and Ursa couldn't help but laugh. After the film's completion, they went down the street laughing for hours, just enjoying each other's company as Bumi bought his girlfriend a bouquet of flowers and he decorated one to a strand of her charcoal-colored hair. Then they finally arrived at Bumi's favorite teashop in town, it was a string of Ursa's great uncle's shop, a Jasmine Dragon. Ursa loved the place, it was sentimental and nostalgic for them both as it brought them back to the days of their childhood in Ba Sing Se as they'd play for hours with at the man Ursa thought of as a grandfather's while their parents sipped tea and chatted the summer days away.

Bumi escorted Ursa to a seat at one of the small tables as the owner brought them both a cup of honeysuckle tea, on-the-house, as a sample, it was his newest flavor. The hours dragged on as they laughed the night away over their cup of tea, losing track of the time, too immersed in the moment, lost in each other. But as time flew for the lovers, it dragged for their parents, worried sick of their whereabouts and what kept them.

Mai was dressed in her silk nightgown, lying across her bed trying to read a book she'd been getting into, but her daughter and the time kept weighing on her mind to heavily for her to pay attention. When she couldn't take it any longer, Mai walked to her dresser to slip on her velvet bathrobe and matching pair of slippers to confront Zuko about what to do about their daughter still "being out in the rose garden" and whether or not to risk interrupting them.

As Mai also stayed up burning candlelight over her daughter, Katara and Aang were no better, as Katara was pacing the floor as she and her husband waited up for their son.

"Aang, it is quarter after midnight, where is Bumi? He should've dropped off Ursa hours ago and be home by now!" Katara cried to her husband.

"I know, Katara, I know," Aang said, also a bit frazzled.

"Sweetie, what if something happened to them!" Katara bursted out, on the brink of tears.

"Aw, sweetie, no, I'm sure they're fine. They both probably were having too much fun to notice the clock," Aang assured his wife as he held her hand.

"Yeah, too much fun," Kya joked beneath her breath as she stood eavesdropping by the door.

"Bed, now, Kya!" Katara ordered, she was worried enough, "But Aang, the assassins are always after Zuko and the royal family what if Ursa-"

"Katara, it's alright, don't talk like that. I am sure both Ursa and Bumi are fine, maybe they're even back at the palace safe with Zuko," Aang stated reassuringly to his paranoid wife.

"Aang, I know you're right, but it's so late…" Katara mused aloud.

"I know. Do you want to head over to the palace to wait for them or see if we run into them?" Aang suggested and Katara sighed.

"If not I'll sit here in a panic," Katara confessed and Aang smiled.

"I know you will," Aang grinned, "Come on, go tell Tenzin and Kya where we're headed and I'll meet you out on Appa," Aang told Katara as she smiled and went off.

Mai was making her way down the long stairway, all the way down to the dingy basement room where her husband spent most of his days through the years. Every time she came down there she shuddered, it was depressing and lacking of any sunshine, and she hated sunshine. In her hands she had a cup of caffeinated tea, stirred with three creams and fours spoons of sugar, the way he always liked it, and hanging on her arm she had a fleece blanket that she always draped over his shoulders late in the night. The nights down here were bitter cold, and he never got up to set on the fire, he was always too focused on just getting done. So, she'd come down for him, set the blanket on his shoulders, light the fire, and hand him the cup of tea while pecking him on the cheek, trying to remind him that he wasn't alone, cooped up down there. After that she'd usually hang out in bed, waiting for him to tiredly crawl into the bed and plop down onto it, collapsing on it out of sheer exhaustion, fully clothed into his Fire Lord attire from head-to-toe. Mai would sigh and gently tug off his boots, unpin his crown, and remove the uncomfortable layers of his Fire Lord apparel, then she'd gently lift his legs and tuck him under the covers, lovingly kissing him goodnight. Then sometimes she'd lie there, feeling like crying at the fact that her husband was constantly too exhausted to even undress himself and get to bed properly, or even notice her when he went to bed. The years had only progressively increased the work and the stress, though thankfully, the assassination attempts gradually tapered. But Mai knew he loved her with all of his heart and that he wanted to be able to come to bed with her and make it to every single one of their daughter's pro-bending matches and that he loved their daughter more than anything in the universe. She knew he had a duty to fulfill as fire lord and she knew he was a good man and that's why she too loved him with her whole heart.

So, once again, Mai creaked open her husband's office door with a cup of tea in her hand and a blanket hanging over her arm. She then glanced up to see Zuko, he had his head down on the desk and Mai smiled sympathetically. Too tired to even continue. Mai shook her head as she stroked his hair, she hated to wake him, he was so tired he didn't even finish the paperwork he usually completed religiously, but she feared their daughter's safety at stake, so she tenderly rocked his shoulder.

"Zuko," Mai repeated as she shook him, "Zuko," Mai called a little louder, he was really out like a light, but she had to get him up, he needed to know that Ursa was still out, she needed his help. "Zuko…" Mai said once more, then she started to panic, something wasn't right with him, he was a light sleeper. "…Zuko…Zuko, honey, get up, it's Ursa," Mai called once again as his head fell out from leaning on his hands and slammed down onto the desk and Mai's heart stopped. "Zuko! …Zuko, Zuko, sweetheart…Zuko, get up, Zuko, honey, please get up! Zuko!" Mai started to scream as she violently started shaking him, her heart racing. "No, no, no…" Mai panicked as her hands started to shake and a lump in her throat began to form, "Zuko, don't do this to me," Mai cried as she took his arm, her hands shaking and lips trembling as a couple of tears escaped her eyes, as she slowly and as she was terrified, placed her two fingers to his wrist, horrified that she wouldn't find a beating pulse.

"Aang, we haven't spotted them…" Katara muttered as she clutched her knees up to her chest and her husband sighed.

"They could be back already, sweetie, we're almost at the palace, don't worry," Aang reminded again as Appa landed down near the palace's entryway gates. While Appa landed with Aang and Katara, Ursa and Bumi were still out at the teashop, the time now being half past midnight. An employee of the Jasmine Dragon was starting to sweep up and was growing irritated by the two lovebirds. His boss, and the owner, instructed him to never shoo out customers, but this was getting ridiculous and he was at his wit's end.

"Hey, you two, could you go make lovey-dovey faces elsewhere, I want to go home, it's 12:30 in the morning!" The man snapped and both their eyes widened.

"Twelve-thirty o'clock AM!" Ursa cried, "Mom will never believe I was in the garden this long! She probably got dad! Oh crap! Dad definitely has all the guards looking all over the world for me! He'll kill us both! Bumi!"

"H-hey, I wanted to stay at your place, don't blame me!" Bumi cried.

"Why didn't you watch the clock!" Ursa shouted accusatively.

"Why didn't you!" Bumi rebutted.

"Argh! Who cares, let's just get out of here and get home as quickly as possible!" Ursa yelled.

"Amen!" The man sweeping declared as Bumi and Ursa both glared at him then began racing to the docks where they'd left Floozy.

Katara and Aang were pounding on the door for five minutes straight, when eventually, a young guard answered.

"I'm sorry, now is not a good time," The guard said, staring deterred to his feet.

"What? Why?" Katara shouted as Aang extended his arm over her, urging her to cease her frenzy.

"Sir, I'm the avatar, and I know it's late, but my wife and I are very close friends with Fire Lord Zuko, and he would allow us in, I'm sure," Aang told the guard.

"I-I know, Avatar Aang, I-I'm sorry, but…Fire Lord Zuko…you see…" The guard mumbled, still despondently looking to his feet as his toes crossed nervously.

"What about Fire Lord Zuko?" Katara shouted as the guard didn't look up nor answer and Katara shot a scared glance to her also nervous looking husband.

"Excuse us," Aang said as he then shoved past the young guard, ignoring his shouts that he wasn't permitted entrance as Katara followed him. This was too strange, his son and Ursa not back, the guard forbidding his proceeding, and his weird behavior upon asking of Zuko.

"Zuko!" Katara called worriedly, "Aang, do you think everything's okay?"

"I don't know," Aang admitted.

"Aang," Katara cried.

"Katara, please! Let's just find Zuko or Mai or someone, okay, that-that's all I can do," Aang snapped emotionally, "Zuko! Zuko?"

"Avatar Aang, Master Katara," An older guard stated.

"Jiang," Katara said in a bit of relief, they knew each other since team avatar were in their early twenties, "What's going on, where is Zuko?"

"He's in his bedroom with Lady Mai," Jiang replied glumly.

"Thank you, Jiang," Aang said as he took Katara by the hand and they headed to Zuko's room.

"Zuko!" Katara cried as she knocked a pit fanatically on the door, as Aang restrained her then rubbed her shoulders, both to comfort her and himself in their anxiety. Mai then opened the door, greeting Katara and Aang with tears drenching her face as she fell into Katara's arms and began to sob.

Meanwhile, Bumi and Ursa were nervously ridding Floozy as they saw the familiar skyline of the Fire Nation ahead. They knew the punishment of their lives awaited them at home, and were bracing up for it and enjoying their last few moments of freedom wile they lasted.

"So, how dead will you be?" Ursa asked in a slump.

"I don't know, dead, but not as dead as you," Bumi confessed, "I'll take the heat for you."

"No, don't. I made you do this, you wanted to stay put where we were told," Ursa said.

"True, but if you get caught, your punishment will be far worse," Bumi said.

"My dad is the biggest sofie on the planet though, it's my mom who won't let me escape eating a cookie before dinner. You know how my dad is…lots of rules…too terrified to enforce them upon me…because you know…his punishments as a kid were what I'd call the epitome of overreaction," Ursa replied.

"That's true, at least you're not getting burned for speaking out of turn…" Bumi muttered, the thought of having your face scourged by your own father just for speaking out without permission horrified him. He couldn't imagine his father or Uncle Zuko ever being that cruel.

"How's your dad been doing?" Bumi asked.

"I think he's been getting better, which I'm really happy about. I get really worried about him," Ursa admitted.

"I've been worried too ever since he was over that time and started moaning in pain randomly," Bumi said.

"The doctor said it was nothing and it would go away once the work calmed down with these new laws after they're passed," Ursa explained.

"That's good, I bet he can't wait for that," Bumi said and Ursa nodded.

"Too bad he's gonna freak out when we get home, that can't be good for his health," Ursa grumbled. The couple then at last reached the royal palace, Ursa's home and they both sighed as they reluctantly hopped from Floozy, ready to reluctantly face their fates and consequences.

"Shit, that's Appa!" Bumi cursed, "Oh well, lets get this over with…" Bumi growled as he put his arm around his girlfriend and they both sluggishly trudged up to the enormous palace doors.

"Mai, what's the matter, what happened?" Katara cried anxiously as Mai kept weeping in her arms and Aang's eyes darted back and forth in worry, also tears flickering behind. Mai just cried out an inaudible and incomprehensive answer that left Katara and Aang's stomach in knots. Then, Jiang quietly came up to the doorway and whispered to Mai that Ursa and Bumi were back. Mai perked her head up from where she was tear-drenching Katara's gown and began to feverously wipe her eyes, to race down to her daughter and her boyfriend while Katara and Aang stayed behind, terrified to unravel the fate of one of their dearest friends as they charged through the bedroom.

"Mom, I can explain!" Ursa shouted immediately at the sight of her mother as she and Bumi raced up to her.

"No, Aunt Mai, it wasn't really Ursa's fault, you see-" Bumi began.

"I don't care," Mai said bluntly, and Ursa spotted the shimmer of tears in her mother's eyes and her heart skipped a beat. Her mother never cried, nor did her father, at least that she'd seen. They only cried when there was an absolute reason, she'd only ever seen either of them cry when Iroh had died, and she was told they'd cried at the miscarriages of her three older siblings that never even had the chance to be born. She also heard her father cried when Uncle Sokka and Suki were told they could never have children because his friends were utterly heartbroken. But they'd only cried in times of true grief, so she feared she must've really upset her mother this time.

"Mom, please don't cry, I didn't mean to worry you, I'm sorry!" Ursa cried to her mother, feeling horribly guilty and Mai cupped her hand over her eyes.

"Ursa, honey, please," Mai cried.

"Mom!" Ursa yelled, she was scared now.

"Aunt Mai, I didn't mean to worry you this much, I'm really, really sorry!" Bumi too cried as Mai kept her hand over her face.

"Where's dad?" Ursa suddenly realized as she cried out, he'd usually be tapping his foot by the door. Mai shook her head, and Ursa's heart stopped head in its tracks as she and Bumi then dropped everything and rushed up the stairs.

"Dad! Daddy!" Ursa screamed as she pushed open the door to her parents' room.

"Uncle Zuko!" Bumi cried, standing behind his girlfriend in fear. Bumi found his parents sitting by the edge of Zuko's bed with Zuko lying in it, and a doctor standing beside and his heart began to race. Not Uncle Zuko. Ursa ran up beside her father and Aang put a hand on her shoulder, he looked upset, but not devastated.

"Ursa, Ursa, sweetie, he's alright," Aang said comfortingly.

"Wha-what happened to him? Did someone try to kill him again?" Ursa cried, "Uncle Aang, what's wrong with Daddy?" Ursa sobbed as she clutched tightly onto him and he stroked her back and shushed her soothingly.

"He's gonna be fine, it's okay," Aang assured.

"Princess Ursa, your father had a heart attack," The doctor informed.

"What?" Bumi cried.

"It's okay, Bumi," Katara said behind tears as she wiped them off her face.

"I-is he going…is he gonna die?" Bumi screamed and Katara cried, walking up to embrace her son.

"No, no, no, he's going to be okay," Katara said soothingly.

"It's alright, young man. Fire Lord Zuko will be alright, he's a strong man, he will recover so long as he eats properly and takes it easy, and I know this isn't an easy task for him," The doctor explained as Mai reentered the room.

"I'll make sure he stays in bed as long as he needs to," Mai declared determinedly.

"How long does he have to rest?" Ursa cried.

"I want him to stay in bed for at least a month," The doctor prescribed and Ursa broke into tears again.

"Shhh, you hear that, he'll be fine," Aang told the girl he loved like a niece.

"Why did he have a heart attack?" Ursa cried.

"Those pains he was having was a sign, it's our fault at the medical team for not catching it, but it seemed like nothing. There's only so much we can predict and do. The whole thing is caused by a weakening of your father's heart from when he was seventeen and leapt in front of a lethal bolt of lightning," The doctor explained and Katara choked out a sob, she couldn't help but feel guilty, like all of this was meant for her and not Zuko. "Though, if he wasn't living such a stressful lifestyle, I don't think his weak heart would have been induced into such a state. It's deteriorating more rapidly because the man never rests and is in a ball of nerves from years of people trying to kill him and his family and friends. After this, I recommend a vacation, you all should come, he needs some time away from here, this, everything."

"Thank you, doctor," Mai said as she bit her lip and sincerely shook his hand and he smiled to her. She was just thankful that Zuko was going to be all right, they all were, that was all they cared about at the moment: Zuko and his wellbeing.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Ursa cried as she put her arm around her father's chest and Aang put both his arms around his wife and son in comfort, they both were still sniveling from the experience.

"A vacation-that's what my husband needs. We all need to go on a vacation, if you all come; it'll take his mind off things even more. Jiang can handle things for us. In one month, we all need to take his royal highness to Ember Island."


	3. Chapter 3

The sun peaked through a crack in the curtains through the window. It was a new day, a fresh start for the fire lord; and he was quite aware of it too. It had been exactly one month since he'd had a heart attack, and Zuko was ready to get right back to work. He still was in awe that his family and friends were able to keep him lying down and let him be waited on for so long. So, as soon as the date came, he was pulling on his robes and preparing to head down to the cellar to continue filing his documents.

"Fire Lord Zuko!" Mai exclaimed with a breakfast on a tray in her hands. She set it down on the table beside her in their bedroom.

"Good morning, Mai," Zuko laughed nervously as she crossed her arms.

"What're you doing?" Mai snapped.

"It's been a month. You've kept me cooped up, recuperating or whatever, in here long enough," Zuko explained.

"You're not ready to go back to work!" Mai snapped.

"I can't lie here forever!" Zuko shouted back.

"No, the doctor told me you need to go on a break, away from here," Mai explained in monotone and her husband scoffed.

"I'm not taking a holiday," Zuko laughed, "I've had a long enough one."

"That wasn't a vacation, Zuko. You were resting, you are an ill man," Mai told him rationally.

"And, going on a vacation is going to cure me?" Zuko replied.

"No, but it might help. Working right away will be bad for your condition, you need to relax still and take it easy," Mai urged.

"I can't afford to. Maybe if I wasn't in charge of an entire country, I could," Zuko stated.

"You're still just a human being, Zuko!" Mai shouted to him, "When was the last time you took a break? Went out with your friends? Spent time with Ursa? …Spent time with _me_?"

"Mai…" Zuko muttered and Mai hid her face in her hands.

"Do you have _any idea_ what it's like?" Mai cried, "I came down to your work room that night, and-and you wouldn't wake up! Zuko, I was so terrified! You don't know how it felt! I thought you were gone, I really thought you were dead! Do you know what that _did_ to me?"

"…I'm sorry, Mai," Zuko mumbled in guilt.

"Zuko, please, for me, and if not for me, Ursa, please, just come to Ember Island with us, at least for a week, please, Zuko," Mai begged to her husband and Zuko sighed. He did not want to yield to her pleading, he knew work had to be done and he was off the clock too long already, but her tale had him feeling guilty. He tried putting himself in her shoes, he felt sick at the thought of Mai having a heart attack and then if she refused to rest.

"Al-alright, Mai, I'll go to Ember Island, but just for one week!" Zuko succumbed and Mai smiled as bright as her dim smiles ever did go.

"Oh, good," Mai said in relief, "I think everyone should come, all of your friends."

"You really don't need to inconvenience them all just-" Zuko began, but Mai had already walked out of the room to begin writing letters to Zuko's friends and to tell Ursa. Zuko stood watching her leave the room, and he shook her head. He should've listened to his uncle when he told him that the only people more stubborn than him were women.

"What're you doing, Mom?" Ursa asked curiously, peeping her head over her mother's shoulder, where she was sitting at a desk.

"Writing," Mai answered bluntly.

"Thank you for the input, Mother," Ursa returned with the same sarcasm.

"I'm writing letters to your father's friends," Mai explained more thoroughly.

"What for?" Ursa inquired.

"I want them to come with us," Mai stated curtly.

"Can you please elaborate," Ursa said, heaving a heavy sigh at her mother's brusqueness.

"We're taking your father to Ember Island for a week, he hasn't had a vacation in years. He needs to relax a little, away from this place, away from that office room. I thought it would be better if all of his friends came along too. After all, he hardly spends time with them either, and I figured he could have more fun with all of them there. Plus, the more distractions the better. And, of course, you'll have more fun with all of your little teenage troublemakers hanging around," Mai explained, finishing with a smirk.

"We're going to Ember Island? Oh, I'm so excited! I haven't gone since I was twelve! I used to love that place! And, Bumi's going? Oh, and Kya, and Lin, and Tenzin! This is going to be the best! When do we leave? I can't wait!" Ursa gleamed with juvenile enthusiasm for her upcoming trip. Mai sighed at all the exhilaration, her daughter was acting more bubbly than she could usually handle in a month.

"Yes, yes, and Sunday," Mai jadedly replied.

"Oh, thank you, Mom, that's in two days! I have to start packing!" Ursa exclaimed giddily as she darted from the room to throw her things into a suitcase and her mother picked up her pen once more.

The letters returned, with RSVPs happily abiding. The day of departure then arrived. Ursa was standing by the large metal doors, anticipation swelling more than a child on the night of Christmas Eve. She had two suitcases packed with luggage of several outfits and accessories, including her pro-bending gear. She was pacing the floor, waiting for her not-as-thrilled parents.

"Are you guys coming or what?" Ursa shouted anxiously.

"Yes, Ursa, yes, we're coming," Zuko said, he couldn't help but stifle a laugh as he carried down his small suitcase, and Mai's slightly larger one. He ruffled his daughter's hair, as she pouted and re-straightened it.

"I haven't seen you so hyped in a long time," Zuko said.

"I haven't seen you laugh in a long time," Ursa rebutted.

"I'm not really the laughing type," Zuko replied.

"That's depressing," Mai commented as she finally reached the bottom of the stairwell.

"Says you," Ursa joked and Mai gave what was a smile by her standards.

"Let's get this over with so I can get back to work," Zuko grumbled.

"I don't want to hear you speak that word all week," Mai snapped back.

"Whatever, let's go," Zuko said as guards took all of their luggage and the royal family prepared for their voyage to Ember Island.

After hours of traveling, the buggy pulled up to the seaward paradise. There was a gentle breeze brushing against the pillars of salt decorated with tiny shells that went in sync with the push and pull of the blue tide. It was calming, the scent, the ambiance, the feel, everything. Zuko stepped out of the buggy, and extended his hand to help his wife and his daughter out, but Mai slapped his hand away and his daughter just stared at him and hopped down on her own. Zuko laughed, he didn't think they were incapable of getting down, he'd seen his wife take down ten guards at age sixteen on her own, it was out of pure etiquette. Apparently, his wife, nor daughter, had any time for that.

"I love this place," Ursa commented, while stretching and then kneeling down to stroke her hand through the cool sand. Zuko smiled at her and stared off at the crashing waves; he'd forgotten how much this place could wipe your slate clean and refresh your spirit.

"Ursa, hey, Ursa!" A voice called from the distance as Ursa snapped her head up from where she was kneeling and fidgeting with the sand. She smiled at the sight of her friends splashing in the water.

"Hey, guys!" Ursa called back, her face lighting up as she darted off towards them.

"Don't drown!" Zuko warned and Ursa rolled her eyes at him without turning back.

"Yeah, Ursa, _'don't drown'!_" Kya teased in a mocking tone as she waterbent some water at her friend.

"Kya! I'm not in a swimsuit, knock it off!" Ursa yelped as the cold water splashed at her and the others laughed. Ursa then kicked off her sandals and inhaled a deep breath. She could practically taste the salt from how it filled the air and then her lungs. She dug her toes into the mucky sand as the waves pushed in and off the shoreline and over her ankles. She adored this island. "Have you guys ever even been here?"

"I think once," Tenzin replied.

"I've never been," Lin answered.

"I used to come all the time," Ursa said in a distant reverie.

"What happened?" Kya asked and Ursa snorted.

"What do you think? My father barely has time to sleep, let alone take us on a vacation," Ursa scoffed and they all frowned sympathetically. Most of them went on vacations regularly.

"Hey, well, you're here now, so let's make the most of it," Bumi exclaimed as he trudged out of the knee-deep water and kissed his girlfriend on the cheek.

"Because my dad had a heart attack," Ursa mumbled beneath her breath.

"He's okay…right?" Tenzin asked dourly while staring off at the fire lord in concern.

"Yeah, he's fine, Tenzin, don't worry, I'm sorry," Ursa told her younger friend. She didn't mean to worry them all, "I'll stop being such a downer, I promise."

"Good!" Bumi said as he spontaneously threw his girlfriend over his shoulder and she screamed in surprise as the others gasped and started giggling.

"Bumi! P-put me down!" Ursa demanded, as she felt her face burn bright red.

"Your wish is my command, your highness!" Bumi said with a smirk.

"Bumi, I swear!" Ursa screeched as Bumi tossed her off into the water, the others scurrying away, laughing hysterically. Ursa hit the water with a splash, sending some seawater ricocheting out. Ursa then popped her head up, spat out some water, and started coughing.

"You made quite the splash, Ursa!" Bumi called, slapping his knee in amusement as the others tried to contain themselves from laughing so hard. Ursa balled her fists in annoyance, but then smirked as she ran up behind her distracted boyfriend and hopped on his back, causing him to fall face-first into the shore. Bumi stuck his head back up and playfully gave his girlfriend a shove.

"Fire Nation," Bumi teased, "Nothing but trouble!"

"Oh, yes, sorry to offend your civilized Water Tribe customs!" Ursa replied.

"Well, technically I'm half Air Nomad as well," Bumi corrected.

"_Right_, my bad," Ursa smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Come on, we'd better go say hi to Uncle Zuko," Kya said, still finishing laughing off the latest squabble, as she waved for her friends and siblings to follow. The group of adolescents walked through the beach, up to the beach house. Their bodies covered in sand that clung to them from being wet, uncomfortably. Bumi came pounding on the door and Katara sighed and went to open it.

"Hey, Mom!" Bumi exclaimed.

"Bumi, you can't come in like that! You'll track sand all over the house!" Katara scolded.

"It's alright, Katara, we're barely here anyway," Zuko said.

"We have to be here a week, Zuko, I'll go crazy if I have to live in a dirty house that long!" Katara snapped back, "Are you all covered in sand? Honestly! You guys aren't twelve, you're nearly twenty and you're all coated in more sand than a sandbender in the desert!"

"Sorry!" Kya apologized with a snicker and Katara just jeered. She then drew up some water and splashed it all over the sand covered teens to wash them off, then she evaporated off the remaining water, so not to drip all over the house.

"There," Katara said proudly, holding the door open for their entrance.

"Nag, nag, nag, you're a big nag, Katara, that's all you are," Sokka chimed in.

"Thank you, Sokka," Katara grumbled back to her elder brother, "You're very mature."

"Oh, yes, my Sokka? Highly sophisticated," Suki teased as she kissed her husband's cheek.

"Very funny, Suki," Sokka pouted and the others giggled.

"It's rather late, isn't it?" Toph noted.

"Thanks, Mom, we couldn't tell," Lin threw in.

"Not all of us were gifted with the ability to just check out the window, hun," Toph rebutted to her daughter.

"Yeah, it is late. There's really no time to go for a swim today," Suki replied.

"I can get cooking on a dinner," Katara suggested as she stood.

"Oh, no, I'll do that. You're all my guests, you took time out of your lives to come," Mai said.

"Ugh, Mai, it's okay, Katara's got it…" Zuko muttered hesitantly and Mai squinted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mai grumbled as Aang smirked.

"N-nothing! I-I…I am just in the mood for a good, old, Water Tribe meal!" Zuko excused. Mai had never been particularly good at cooking. The last time she had cooked for him or anyone was on their honeymoon, and that was the first and last time Zuko ever allowed it. He had the palace chefs prepare every meal since. He didn't want to have an encore of barfing for a week as he did on their honeymoon.

"Zuko, you hate Water Tribe food. When we were kids I practically had to shove it down your throat just so you wouldn't be emaciated," Katara responded quizzically and Zuko shot his friend a glare as Aang continued cackling, Zuko had confided in him the horrors of Mai's culinary ineptness.

"My taste buds have matured!" Zuko said.

"You refused to eat at my wedding because all they had was Water Tribe dishes," Katara spat back.

"I was full," Zuko tried.

"If you just think I'm a terrible cook then say so, Zuko," Mai said in a trying tone and Zuko gave her a fake grin.

"I love you, Mai, but I'm sorry, I'd rather have another heart attack than eat another foul kitchen concoction of yours," Zuko replied regretfully and the others laughed.

"Dad!" Ursa exclaimed, chuckling at her father's dark humor, "What's so bad about Mom's food?"

"Your father puked the entire week of our honeymoon after eating my original dish," Mai said flatly, "Frankly, I think he's the one with the problem."

"About that…" Aang mumbled and Mai smirked. She knew she was a horrible cook.

"Okay, one time Aang was over before the honeymoon and he was doing some political thing, and I made him and Zuko a meal too," Mai confessed.

"Did he barf?" Toph asked.

"He didn't get out of bed for a week," Katara answered with a grin and Mai sighed.

"Okay, Katara, I'll let you take it," Mai surrendered, relieving her dinner duty to the Water Tribe woman.

"Thanks, Mai," Katara said, walking past her with a laugh. Katara then started preparing a meal for eleven, and its scent diffused through the air, creating watering mouths, eager eyes, and growling stomachs. Aang and Sokka then pulled tables together, creating a long, extended table for their long, extended family to sit at. Katara then finally finished her meal and set it out for them all and they all laughed over dinner conversations and ate until their bellies could take no more. After dinner, most of them crawled into bed and called the long day a day for the night. Except Zuko, he was out on the porch, leaning on its rail and contemplatively watching the waves roll in and out of the shore. He heaved a heavy sigh.

"You alright?" He asked, and Zuko turned his head to see Sokka standing behind him, sipping out of a bottle, and he then offered another to Zuko.

"Thanks," Zuko said as he accepted it, then skeptically looked at the label, "Cactus juice?"

"The best stuff," Sokka answered with a smirk as he leaned back on the banister. Zuko shook his head with a laugh as he popped off the bottle cap. "So?"

"What?" Zuko asked.

"You never answered my question. You alright?" Sokka repeated.

"I thought you were making small talk," Zuko stated, "I'm hanging in there."

"You scared us, buddy," Sokka confessed.

"Did I?" Zuko replied, sipping at Sokka's favorite beverage.

"Yeah, man, I thought you were out of here," Sokka admitted.

"Unfortunately for you all, I'm still hanging around," Zuko joked and Sokka smirked along with Zuko, but his grin faded upside down. "But in all honesty, I'd hate to die now."

"Yeah, doesn't sound like much fun. I wouldn't be too fond of you kicking the bucket either," Sokka joked and Zuko grinned.

"But really, for Ursa's sake," Zuko said with a sigh, "I don't want her on the throne, not yet, not now."

"You were younger than her," Sokka noted.

"Exactly," Zuko said with a sigh, "It was horrible. I was a seventeen-year-old kid in charge of an entire nation, I was alone too. It was awful, it took at least a decade off my life, I mean, look what happened last month. It hasn't even gotten better, but at least I'm experienced now. Not that I had much of a childhood, but I want Ursa to live a little. I don't want her thrown on the throne, I don't want her not being able to sleep, living in constant anxiety, throwing away her youth, crying herself to sleep, stressing out, having nervous breakdowns…assassination attempts…half the world despising her…having a heart attack at forty."

"Zuko," Sokka stated, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, he pitied him, but had no idea what it was like. He used to feel for his father having to run their small tribe, but Fire Lord seemed even more intimidating and the more he thought of putting one of his nieces or nephews on the throne now he shuddered at Zuko's young age, "I'm sorry, buddy, I…you shouldn't have had to gone through with that."

"No, don't be sorry, Sokka," Zuko said, "Of course I wish I had more time for my family, and I hate the stress, becoming Fire Lord…well…it was my destiny. I had to do it, someone had to after my father was defeated."

"I always thought…" Sokka trailed off.

"What?" Zuko asked.

"I don't know, I always wondered why…your uncle wouldn't do it," Sokka muttered, trying to tiptoe around the sensitive subject of Zuko's late father figure.

"He said he couldn't because…history would view it as a brother usurping from another brother for political power," Zuko answered foggily.

"Well..wasn't it practically the same with you and Azula?" Sokka asked and Zuko frowned.

"I know, I never quite understood it," Zuko confessed, "But Uncle said it had to be me, you were there. I trust him, I think he was right, even if I do a terrible job sometimes."

"Would you shut your mouth, Fire Lord," Sokka replied, "You do a damn good job running that place. You dragged them up out of a century of war and evil and you did it when you were a kid and you still keep it up. More than any man I know, you…you and Aang are honestly the toughest guys I've ever known, but you don't have to let my father know I said that."

"Thanks, Sokka," Zuko said with a laugh and Sokka chugged another gulp of his alcohol.

"You bet, buddy, how about we turn it in for the night, huh? I always hear how you never sleep, you should get some while there's no weight on your shoulders," Sokka suggested and Zuko shrugged.

"I'll be in in a minute. I need a second out here," Zuko replied.

"Whatever you say, man, I'll see you tomorrow," Sokka said as he tossed his empty bottle in the trash, stretching as he walked off to bed.

The dawn crept up, as the sun arose and twinkled over the ocean on the horizon and everyone gradually awoke from their slumber. Katara got up first and cooked up more pancakes than she had ever in her life, and they all happily ate them up. Then the whole gang packed up their supplies for a day by the beach. The kids were setting up a volleyball court, which drew some memories for Mai and Zuko. Zuko was standing by the shoreline and Toph bent some sand up at Zuko's face.

"You got something there, Sparky," Toph said laughing as Zuko scowled and wiped the sand from his face.

"You're quite hilarious, Toph," Zuko said sarcastically in response.

"Eh, I've missed the piggyback rides, so I need to find all sorts of other ways to mess with you," Toph stated.

"Sorry, Toph, but my back just can't handle it anymore and you're not as small as you were when you were a kid," Zuko explained, smiling. Ursa was the only one amongst her friends not helping stand up the volleyball net. She had her arms curled up around her knees and she watching her father and Toph from the distance. Bumi noticed his girlfriend looking down and he plopped beside her, leaving Kya, Lin, and Tenzin to struggle with the net even worse.

"Hey," Bumi said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and giving her cheek an Eskimo kiss, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Ursa muttered.

"That didn't sound too convincing?" Bumi sad glumly, he hated seeing her so depressed, especially when he didn't know why.

"It's just…" Ursa began, her voice cracking.

"Just what?" Bumi asked concernedly, "Aw, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Look at him!" Ursa cried, staring at her father. She was looking at his bare back and chest, there were scars lining every inch of his bare body.

"What? He looks fine, Ursa, he actually looks happy! I haven't seen your dad laugh in ages!" Bumi exclaimed.

"No, I know, he looks happy, he's laughing with Aunt Toph, I know, but it's not that!" Ursa cried.

"Then what's wrong? The doctor said he's okay, Ursa," Bumi assured and Ursa buried her face into her hands and began to cry and Bumi stroked her hair, "Ursa, come on, Ursa."

"Have you ever seen a man with so many scars?" Ursa cried.

"Aw, Ursa, I feel bad about what your grandfather and sister did too, but it was a long time ago, I think your dad's over it," Bumi replied.

"I'm not talking about those!" Ursa cried, "I'm talking about all the gashes and slash marks and arrow wounds and-and-"

"Ursa…" Bumi stated, rubbing her shoulder.

"Those are all from people trying to kill him!" Ursa cried, "They don't even know him! They…they're just mad about how he's running the country, so they try to kill him!"

"People can be terrible, Ursa, but your dad's fine, don't worry," Bumi consoled.

"He would be dead nineteen times without your mother," Ursa cried.

"Well, it's a good thing they're friends then, right?" Bumi said.

"I remember being a little girl…and I'd come in and the guards would stare at me and I could feel their cold eyes and Uncle would come up to me, and he'd have tears in his eyes and he'd be tell me 'Ursa, your dad got a little hurt, it'll be okay, your Aunt Katara is a fantastic healer' and then…I'd have to go wait in my room. That happened four times. The other fifteen were before I was born," Ursa continued to sob.

"Ursa, no one has tried to hurt your dad in years," Bumi said in comfort and reason.

"I know! But now this! Now he has heart problems! It's not fair!" Ursa cried.

"It's going to be okay," Bumi reassured, "Come on, stop worrying, you're here to make your dad relax, right? Well, if he sees his precious little princess over here drying her eyes, that won't make things much better. Plus, he'll probably blame me and I'll lose my head."

"You're right, Bumi," Ursa said, wiping off her tears as she kissed his lips, "It's a rarity, but you're right."

"Good, so come play volleyball with us, I think Kya, Lin, and Tenzin finally got it up," Bumi said, nodding toward his sibling and friend and Ursa smiled. They then went off hand-in-hand for a heated volleyball match. While the kids were playing volleyball, the so-called adults were up to their own schemes. Katara and Aang were skidding across the water with waterbending on their own formed ice boards.

"See, you have to be a waterbender to get out there," Aang joked.

"I spent three years at sea," Zuko joked back.

"So, I'm sure you'd hate to go back," Mai stated with a simper.

"I'd throw up at the sight of a boat if I were you, and if I could see," Toph teased.

"Plus, Zuko, it's not like you can just glide across like us," Katara also teased.

"I'll bet I could find a way," Sokka said, as Katara quirked her eyebrow.

"Really, Sokka?" Katara gave a rejoinder.

"Suki, Mai, Zuko, Toph, and I got this!" Sokka declared and Suki, Mai, and Toph vehemently nodded in denial. The last thing they wanted was to get involved with one of Sokka's harebrain plots.

"You guys stink!" Sokka booed, "Guess that leaves me and you, Jerkbender!"

"No thanks, Sokka," Zuko retorted.

"Come on!" Sokka pleaded, as he gave puppydog eyes to his friend and Zuko stared him down, unamused.

"Sokka, you we are forty years old, this is ridiculous. It was ridiculous enough when we were teenagers, now you want to pull this when we're in our middle ages. I can't believe….ugh….fine, I'll do it," Zuko succumbed.

"Woo!" Sokka chanted in victory, "We'll show you, waterbenders and your magic water!"

"This should be interesting…" Suki said with a nervous smile.

"He better not hurt him," Mai warned.

"Yeah, Sparky's not exactly in perfect health, Bonehead better be careful with him," Toph agreed. A few moments passed and Sokka and Zuko emerged, Sokka pushing a wooden boat towards the shore.

"We're gonna race!" Sokka proclaimed and Zuko slapped his hand to his face.

"Oh?" Aang asked for clarification.

"You and Katara on your fancy, crafted ice boards against Zuko in this wooden thingy!" Sokka explained, feeling inexplicably proud of himself.

"I cannot believe I am doing this. The things this man can talk me into," Zuko groaned.

"This should be interesting," Mai said with a smirk to her husband and Toph snorted a laugh.

"Sokka, this is dumb," Suki commented.

"No one asked you, Suki!" Sokka yelled.

"We're going to win, Sokka, this isn't even a competition," Aang retorted.

"We'll just see about that!" Sokka said as he shoved a paddle in Zuko's face, "Now, get your icy-board-y-things ready, and Zuko, get in the boat!"

"What the hell am I doing," Zuko groaned.

"Come on, Zuko, you're going down!" Katara said with a laugh.

"Probably," Zuko grumbled and Mai smirked.

"Alright, Zuko's in the boat, Aang and Katara are ready to surf! You have to go to that rock and back! On your mark, get set, go!" Sokka called, giving the cue as Katara and Aang quickly skidded towards the target and Zuko paddled.

"Who's winning?" Toph asked eagerly.

"Who do you think?" Mai replied sarcastically, laughing beneath her breath at her husband's struggle with the paddle, when suddenly, Zuko began catching up.

"Yeah, Zuko, go, you got this!" Sokka cheered with a laugh.

"How many bottles of cactus juice did you drink last night, exactly?" Suki muttered to her husband and he just flashed her a toothy response. Then, out on the water, the boat suddenly halted and Katara and Aang buzzed around the rock and were almost back to shore, while Zuko was in a standstill. Katara and Aang both then wiped out on shore, laughing as the fell onto the sand.

"It was a good race, Sifu Hotman," Aang joked behind a laugh as he looked for an exhausted Zuko sulking on the boat right behind.

"Where is he?" Katara asked.

"He…he's still out in the water, out there," Mai replied, wearing a worried expression. Zuko then stood up in the boat, he was holding his head and he looked faint and confused.

"Zuko!" Suki cried out as he then flopped over and splashed off the small boat and into the water.

"Zuko! Zuko!" Mai cried as she ran out to the water.

"No, no, Mai, stay back, we'll get him, it's too far out to swim," Katara insisted as she motioned at her worried husband and they began rushing out to where Zuko had fallen, propelling themselves out as Katara had learned decades ago. Mai collapsed to her knees in grief.

"No, no, no," Mai repeated and Suki bit at her nails.

"What happened? Where's Sparky?" Toph demanded eagerly.

"He fell down, Toph," Suki said, the lump in her throat audible.

"Shit…shit, _shit_, _**shit**_," Sokka yelled, kicking angrily at the sand in frustration. The kids then began to take notice of the situation and they all came running over from their little match.

"What's going on?" Kya cried.

"Mom, where's Daddy? Where is he?" Ursa cried desperately, but Mai didn't even hear her daughter's question, she was still on her knees in fear, refusing to look up.

"Did something happen to Uncle Zuko? Mom!" Lin cried to her mother.

"He-he fell down, wait for Katara and Aang to get back, Lin, alright," Toph snapped anxiously.

"I told you, I told you!" Ursa screamed to her boyfriend as his stomach twisted into a knot as well, holding his girlfriend close. Aang and Katara finally came forward, pulling Zuko's limp, unconscious body to shore. Katara raced out to the sand and knelt down as Aang pulled Zuko in front of her.

"Dad!" Ursa cried in panic.

"_Zuko_…" Katara muttered as a determined, desperate prayer as she began to perform CPR, pressing on his chest as Aang bit his thumb nervously and tears welled in his eyes. "Please, Zuko, wake up, please," Katara cried as she paused and stroked the wet bangs off his forehead and tears began to fall from her eyes. She wasn't giving up, she kept pressing down as tears fell too. Suddenly, Zuko began coughing up water and Katara pulled him close in relief. "You're alright," Katara whispered, clutching her eyes shut as Zuko fluttered his eyes open and he moaned in pain.

"Daddy, Daddy?" Ursa cried as she knelt beside him and Mai raced over as well, finally breaking her wall of grief.

"Zuko, sweetheart, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Mai panicked as she cradled his face in her hands.

"Sparky?" Toph's cracked out.

"Zuko, buddy?" Aang said behind his clouded eyes.

"Uncle Zuko!" Kya screamed, her, Lin, and Tenzin all crowded in a comforting embrace.

"Zuko, man, are you alright? This is all my fault, I'm so sorry," Sokka said, but Zuko just moaned, clutching back at his chest and rolling over on his side in pain, like a dying animal. Mai squeezed her eyes shut as tears dripped off them.

"Zuko?" Katara cried, putting her hand on his arm, "Sokka, you bastard!"

"Katara!" Aang snapped, tears falling from his eyes as well.

"I'm sorry! I-I…Damn it!" Sokka cried as he pinched his fingers to his eyes.

"Don't' just stand here screaming at each other! Get him in bed, call a doctor!" Ursa begged as she began to go into a frenzy, Bumi still holding her close, as he couldn't help but allow tears to escape his eyes as well. Zuko kept grunting in anguish Sokka, Aang, and Bumi lifted Zuko gently and began pulling his corpse-like body into the house and onto a bed, his friends and family trailing behind a trail of tears. Katara rushing off to the messenger hawk to alert a physician. As Ember Island's slate smoothing mystics began to take their toll.


	4. Chapter 4

It felt like a distant dream that wasn't real is what Ursa thought as she watched her father lie feebly in their vacation house's bed. The color was drained out of his usually florid face, he was sweaty, and his chest only rose and fell once a minute. He appeared as a corpse there, and Ursa held her breath and prayed it was anything but a precursor.

"Aunt Katara," Ursa stuttered, but she didn't feel or think about what she said, it was her voice, but it didn't seem like she was the one talking.

"Yes, Ursa, what is it, honey?" The crying water tribe woman said comfortingly as she looked up at her from where she knelt.

"Is…isn't there _something_ you can do? You're a healer! Th-there's got to be _something-__**anything**_!" Ursa pleaded and she saw the woman's lip tremble.

"I'm trying, Ursa. Believe me, I am trying the best that I can," She told her sincerely. Katara knew there was nothing she could do, but she kept trying anyway, she didn't know why, but when her mind tried to tell her it was useless, her hands wouldn't listen. They kept trying to use her healing abilities, no matter what. Aang put his hand on her shoulder.

"Katara, sweetie, let's wait for the doctor," Aang spoke gently.

"I-I know, it's just…maybe I can do something, maybe it'll work this time…" Katara mumbled, she knew just as well as Aang did that her attempts were futile. But she looked back down at her old friend and saw his sickly face and chapped, white lips, and kept trying.

"It isn't your fault, Sokka," Suki tried to tell her husband softly, but he wouldn't stop repeating it.

"I made him play the stupid game. I knew he wasn't well. This all happened because I never grew up," Sokka yelled and Suki pulled him into an embrace.

"No, Sokka," Suki assured soothingly as he began to cry into her shoulder and Suki stroked his back.

"What if he _dies_, Suki?" Sokka cried and Suki grabbed his head and ran her fingers through his hair.

"No," Suki shushed, "Zuko's strong."

"I've never seen him so sickly before in the forty years I've known him through assassination attempts and all," Mai choked out as Ursa ran to her mother's side in fear.

"Mom!" Ursa cried out in terror. She could feel the rapid thumping of her heartbeat in her chest, it felt like it would burst and crack her ribcage. Zuko continued to frailly moan and his lips pressed together.

"He's thirsty," Katara stated, struggling to get out her voice over the prominent lump that'd formed in her throat.

"I'll grab him a glass of water," Aang offered as he stood from the whicker chair. He stopped and clapped Bumi on the shoulder and pulled him close in comfort.

"Dad," Bumi whispered hoarsely and desperately. Aang knew what his plea meant, what he was asking, what he was begging him for.

"It'll be okay, Bumi," Aang declared broadly, hoping that his words wouldn't end as a lie as his own thoughts swam through a sea of uncertainty. He kissed the top of his adolescent son's head and went to the kitchen to draw some water. Tenzin and Kya walked over to their brother and he put his arms around them as they stared on their father retrieving the water. They saw him crumble a bit from the distance, saw his shoulders shake in what they knew were sobs, as he leaned up against the sink. This struck a fear through them all. As Bumi and Kya still looked to their elder sister for support. They naively expected her to have answers and solutions the way she expected her father to, and the way her father expected her mother to and vise versa. They all expected solutions and miracles from people who expected them from somebody else. A common problem through mankind: not knowing who to thrust the blame upon and growing frustrated because there are no bona fide culprits to some cases. It's easier in life to thrust your inhibitions upon something or someone, to discharge your strife on them, or it, instead of carrying around the baggage aimlessly on your own shoulders. But the only way to rid of that baggage, is to drop it, even though it's easier to give it to another shoulder to carry your sentimental belongings, dropping them, is always more beneficial.

"I love Uncle Zuko," Tenzin spoke solemnly as a single tear trickled off his cheek.

"We _all_ do, Tenzin," Kya snapped more meanly than she intended.

"Well, I'm afraid!" Tenzin cried.

"What are you afraid of now, twinkletoes junior?" Lin said sarcastically, masking her eyes that were filled to the brim with tears, as she walked over. She put her hands on her hips, trying hard not to lose her steadfast demeanor. Tenzin couldn't answer her, she knew the answer, he knew what she was trying to do, he wasn't much in the mood for it, and so he just directed his gaze to the ailing fire lord in the sheets. Lin turned in the direction of Tenzin's watch and saw too, and her headstrong, steel fortress began to tumble down. Lin began to cry. Zuko was very sick. They all could just look at him to corroborate that. It petrified them.

"Lin," Kya spoke gently as she extended her hand to her in friendship and comfort and Lin began weeping into Kya's shoulder.

"_What're_ we gonna _do_?" Lin wailed out in an incomprehensive voice, too clogged by her sobs and Kya just rubbed her back, fighting back her own waterworks. Aang came back in with his face red and his nose runny, but no one pretended to take any notice. He then handed his wife the glass of cool water as he looked her reassuringly in the eyes and gave her a loving smile, mouthing to her "s'okay". And, Katara smiled back to her husband, a tear falling from her eye.

"I can't do this," Mai cried as she clamped her teeth down on her hand and tears fell from her eyes like a river and she kept shaking her foot in anxiety.

"Mai, _stop it_, no one has even said _anything_. Don't' go jumping to horrible conclusions, okay?" Katara advised, mentally pleading with herself to heed her own words. Mai fervently nodded her head as she bit her lip and squeezed her wet eyelids shut, unable to speak.

"Alright, Zuko," Katara said as she tenderly lifted him upwards, holding his head up as she put the glass to his lips. "Come on, you have to drink, Zuko, please," Katara begged, keeping the brim of the glass to his flakey, pasty lips. He just groaned and turned it away, "Zuko, you have to drink this, you're dehydrated, Zuko, please."

"Daddy, please drink the water," Ursa cried as she clutched her father's hand, he feebly rose his finger, to acknowledge her through the little strength he could muster.

"It's no use," Aang muttered, turning away.

"Aang!" Katara cried, growing more upset every minute, as her hands began to shake.

"What, Katara? What?" Aang shouted as he threw his hands to his head.

"Knock it off," Toph remarked curtly, "If I felt like crap I wouldn't want water shoved in my face by you boneheads either."

"He needs to drink it, Toph! He's already in a critical condition, if we can't get him to drink, he'll die!" Katara screamed, rising.

"I know that, Katara!" Toph yelled back, evading her affectionate nicknames this time, "I'm being serious! I wanted to die when I had the flu last year, I can't imagine how terrible Sparky feels. He needs to have something he likes," Toph explained as she scurried up the stairs and raced back down with her bag over her shoulder.

"Why did you get your bag? Quit playing games, Toph," Sokka snapped, his voice cracking as Suki held his hand.

"No one in here is playing games, Sokka, would you shut up, all of you," Toph cried, as she quickly shook her head to shoo away her emotions and regain her calm composure. Toph began rummaging through her duffle bag until she pulled out a candy bar in a silver wrapper.

"Chocolate?" Suki spat out in tears, "Why?"

"Do you guys know Sparky at all?" Toph cried, "He loves this stuff! I brought it for him to cheer him up and I meant to give it to him when we got here, but now I'm glad I didn't. When you feel terrible, the only thing you'll eat is your favorites. If he won't swallow this, he won't scarf down anything."

"Thank you, Toph," Katara said as she took the chocolate bar from her friend and they exchanged heartfelt smiles. Katara then unwrapped the candy to find a bite missing and through her tears she couldn't help but chuckle.

"I was hungry on the way here," Toph confessed as Katara shook her head.

"Here, Zuko," Katara put forward, "Toph brought you chocolate," Katara said with a chocked up laugh, "We know it's your favorite, you think you could eat it?" Katara asked as she cupped a piece in his hand.

"He's not a toddler, Katara," Sokka grumbled.

"Well, you can shut up, Sokka, because none of this would have happened if you hadn't thrown him on a boat a month after having cardiac arrest!" Katara screamed and Sokka's eyes widened in guilt.

"Maybe it wouldn't have happened if _you_ weren't in the way twenty-five years ago! If _you_ had just _moved _instead of _standing like a giant target_ for Azula, Zuko wouldn't have had to _throw himself into a thousand watts of electricity _so _you_ _wouldn't be fried to a crisp_!" Sokka shouted back and Katara's pupils dilated in horror, and Sokka immediately regretted that rebuttal.

"Sokka," Suki chastised sharply as she saw the pain in Katara's expression and Sokka coyly stared downward in regret. Her culpability for Zuko's health depletion had been engraved in her mind since the day she found out. Aang heaved a sigh.

"It doesn't matter. Why don't we just focus on Zuko right now?" Aang said as he sat back down on the whicker chair next to his best friend's bedside. Why Zuko? "It'll be alright, buddy, we're not going anywhere, Sifu Hotman," Aang promised as he gave his friend's hand a squeeze, it still held Toph's chocolate. Aang tried to hold himself together, Zuko never turned down chocolate, not even when his uncle passed away or when he was puking post-Mai's meal.

"Where is this damn doctor?" Ursa cried, her face was flushed so red it almost looked like she had an allergic reaction from crying so hard, "Uncle Aang, I'm taking Appa to get the doctor myself!"

"No, you're not, young lady," Aang said as he pulled her back by the hand, "You're in no condition to go alone…none of us are. I'm sure the doctor is on his way already anyway."

"It's gonna be too late by the time he gets here, I don't know if-" Mai began in a panic.

"It'll be alright, Mai," Zuko muttered barely above a whisper as he weakly placed his hand on top of hers.

"Zuko," Mai choked out as she kissed his forehead and leaned hers against his, tears still falling.

"Zuko, you can hear us!" Katara exclaimed tearfully as she fell back upon her knees at his bedside, "Here, drink," Katara pleaded, but he still winced.

"Daddy, Daddy!" Ursa shouted as she jumped out of her boyfriend's arms and went over to her father.

"Hi, baby," Zuko mumbled feebly, putting a strand of her hair between two of his fingers and Ursa choked out a laughing sob.

"Hi, Daddy," Ursa replied as she collapsed on his chest, "I love you, Daddy, so much," Ursa cried as she hugged him tightly and Zuko put his arm over her back and a tear fell from his good eye.

"I love you too, honey…more than anything, I love you," Zuko swore, pledging almost as his eyes fluttered back shut and he paused, resting a moment. "Katara," Zuko called weakly and Katara shot her head up in alarm.

"Yes? What is it Zuko? I'm here," Katara said frantically as she put her hand to his cheek.

"I want to ask you something…it's important, I-" Zuko began, gasping for breath between each syllable.

"Anything, Zuko, I-" Katara started.

"I need to ask you-alone," Zuko explained as he sadly studied his family and friends' faces, especially his daughter's.

"O-okay," Katara choked out as the others confoundedly abided, Mai pecking his cheek and repeating how much she loved him a hundred times in his ear before she walked out. Katara clamored at his side, clasping his hand between hers as they shook in fear and her upset.

"Please don't cry, Katara," Zuko asked weakly.

"I'm sorry," Katara said, making her cry harder.

"I don't like to see you all so devastated on account of me," Zuko sighed, continuing to gasp for breath at every word and pausing to rest between each sentence.

"I told Sokka yesterday," Zuko stated.

"Told him what, Zuko?" Katara asked as she rubbed his forearm.

"That I couldn't die, not now, not yet," Zuko admitted and Katara felt her heart sink into her stomach.

"_No, you can't, we need you, you're my best friend, I need you, you absolutely cannot die now,"_ Katara thought, "We're not gonna let anything happen to you, Zuko."

"Katara, I didn't want to ask in front of the kids, especially Ursa…" Zuko spoke, "I couldn't upset her, but I just…try not to let me die."

"Of course, Zuko, I don't want you to die!" Katara screamed, tears coming off her face, "None of us do! We-we…none of us want to lose you! We've all gone through so much together, the six of us, and-and…we need you…and…we all…we all _love you, Zuko_!"

"Katara…" Zuko muttered, his eyes beginning to fog, he could feel his health diminishing, "I know you're just a healer, but that's more than most of us and…if I don't make it, don't you ever think that it was your fault, because you've saved my life more times than I can count. Maybe that's why I'm asking you now, even though this time I'm not sure you can do anything. I just…like I told Sokka…it's my daughter, Ursa, I-I can't have her on the throne like this, Katara."

"Zuko, you're the fire lord, you're going to stay fire lord a long time, Ursa won't be fire lord until she's older than you, you'll be fine," Katara assured, more so herself.

"She's too young and I don't…I can't…I love her too much, I don't want my baby girl to have to run the country so young, it's so hard and…" Zuko began to sob.

"She won't, Zuko," Katara insisted, crying.

"I was seventeen, and I hate to complain, but it was terrible! I haven't…I haven't slept since. Don't get me wrong, I'm not regretful, I know it's my duty, and I know someday it needs to be hers, but not now, not at eighteen. I don't want people trying to assassinate her since she's so young and inexperienced or if she messes something up or…I don't want her friends turning on her, I don't want her up all night with papers or having insomnia from paranoia… I love her, Katara, she's my little girl, my baby, you wouldn't want Kya on the throne right now, would you?" Zuko cried and Katara bit her lip.

"No, Zuko, and I don't want Ursa on now…" Katara sobbed, "She won't, you'll stay fire lord, I told you, I-" Katara cried, "I'm sorry, I know being fire lord is so hard and you do such a great job, Zuko, and I feel like we all underappreciate you, but Z-Zuko, I-we love you, I do, I know Aang does, I know Sokka does, I know Toph does, I know Suki does, I know Lin does, I know my children do, and boy do I know your family does."

"Thank you, Katara," Zuko weakly muttered, the words taking her back to the day of the agni kai, the source of his health complications. The same words he uttered after saving her life, "…Just in case something does happen, you'll watch her though, you'll help Mai, you'll help Ursa, you and Aang, you won't let anything happen to them, please?"

"Nothing is going to happen to you, Zuko!" Katara cried out.

"Just in case though," Zuko asked, the whole time still gasping for enough oxygen to finish a single sentence.

"Of course, you know we love her like our own, of course I'd look after her, Zuko," Katara choked out as Zuko then clutched at his heart and he began to coil up in pain and groan as Katara threw her face down into her arms that were leaning on the bed and she began to weep, her shoulders shaking as sobs wracked through her body. This was bad. He was bad. It wasn't good.

"The doctor's here!" Aang announced as he threw open the door and put his hand on Katara's shoulder and stroked her hair in comfort, as Aang motioned to the doctor.

"Please," Ursa cried, "Please save my father, you helped him before, please!"

"Come on, Ursa, give the doctor some room," Mai ordered glumly as she dourly guided her daughter from the room against her protests.

"Thank you, I will do everything I can to help the fire lord, I assure you," The doctor gave his word as Ursa kept fighting to remain put.

"Ursa, baby, come on, we need to let the doctor help your dad," Bumi said as he cupped both her cheeks in her hands, pushing off her tears with his thumbs, despite his own that were still spilling. Ursa grabbed his wrists for support and he forced a smile upon his face in assurance and he nodded and gave her a kiss, as the young couple walked out of the room.

"Come on, Katara, sweetie, our son is right. Let's let the doctor do his job," Aang said.

"I'm a healer, I can stay, I-" Katara began, but Aang's stare paused her.

"It'll be alright," Aang said as he wrapped his arms around her and walked her out of the room.

"Thank you," said the doctor as he smiled to them all in comfort. He had seen family and friends' grief many times.

"I know it's bad, doc," Zuko grumbled as the doctor placed his stethoscope to Zuko's scarred chest. And, the doctor remained silent, which confirmed Zuko's prediction. The doctor took Zuko's pulse then and sighed. He'd treated Zuko for his heart attack last time. He never predicted this much severity in his condition.

"I'm…I'm sorry, your highness," The doctor said sympathetically and Zuko pinched his eyes shut.

"Thank you, doctor," Zuko spoke practically inaudibly, but the graciousness came in through his voice as the doctor just gave him a sympathetic smile and stepped out of the room, slowly closing the door behind him. Giving his best efforts to try to mute Zuko out from hearing the screams and wails about to follow the doctor's deliverance of Zuko's diagnosis. The doctor clutched the doorknob tightly as his hand quaked, he couldn't look the anxious faces in the eyes and tell them. If there was anything he hated about his job, this was it.

"What does Daddy have to do now? Does he have to lie in bed another month? Two? Three?" Ursa asked anxiously and the doctor still faced the door and clutched the knob for support. He didn't know how to break it to the young lady that her father wasn't going to survive.

"Doctor, my husband…?" Mai asked anxiously. The doctor inhaled a sharp breath.

"F-fire Lord Zuko, is he going to be alright, doctor?" Aang inquired desperately.

"Princess Ursa…Lady Mai…Avatar Aang…I-I am terribly sorry. The fire lord…his heart suffered severe trauma when he was a teenager regarding the accident at the infamous agni kai, the trauma was substantially worsened through his years of extreme stress, anxiety, insomnia, and paranoia. His heart attack exacerbated his condition…beyond repair. I-I thought some rest and a vacation would do it, but his heart was too far gone, too damaged…there's nothing anyone can do now…I'm so sorry, the fire lord will most likely not make it through the night. I am terribly sorry, I wish I could have helped, I-…let me know if I can do anything, I'll…be down in the cellar if you need me, for anything. I'm…I'm sorry," The doctor elucidated ruefully.

They were all in tremendous shock. They were numb; it was surreal. Zuko always seemed invincible. He couldn't die. Not Zuko. Not her husband. Not their best friend. Not Uncle Zuko. Not Daddy.

Mai absentmindedly walked into the room where her husband lied and she threw herself onto the floor. She started to scream and hit her head onto the wood. Shouting in agony, praying to wake up from the dreaded nightmare. She'd never felt a stronger pain. Her husband, her Zuko, would sleep beside her no more. It had to be a sick joke. Zuko couldn't die. It would be that Sokka, he'd come up laughing from behind, only to have his sister shout at him. They'd all yell at him and Zuko would get up. They'd go to the beach tomorrow. He'd kiss her the way he did, hold her in his arms, give his empty, but good-intentioned promises to take her out. They'd grow old together. She'd keep bringing him down tea every night, she'd tug his boots off every night and tuck him into bed. He couldn't be dying. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be. She had to tell herself that for it's only human nature to have a will to survive. And, without her beloved Zuko, Mai did not think she could survive. The boy she fell in love with from when they were five, she could not do without. So, she kept screaming on the floor, and banging her head against its boards, trying to awaken from the bloody nightmare, ignoring her husband's weak and soft pleas for her to stop.

Katara stood in awe, it didn't quite make it to her brain yet, and her brain protested processing the mere thought. Her knees felt like jelly, they went weak and refused to support her weight anymore and she fell to them on the ground. Zuko, her best friend, the boy who chased her and her husband around the world when they were children, the boy who took her necklace for ransom, the boy who tied her to a tree, the boy she got locked in the catacombs with, the boy who taught her husband firebending, the boy who rescued her father from prison, the boy who took her to get justice upon her mother's murder, the boy who sacrificed himself so she wouldn't have to die, the boy she healed only to just now find out, twenty years later wouldn't survive, that sacrifice would be fatal, the boy who became fire lord, the boy who turned his warmonger country into a peaceful empire and helped restore balance, the boy who found Republic City alongside her husband, her best man at her wedding who fumbled upon words when giving their toast, the man who held her firstborn baby, who held all her children, who loved all her children dearly, the man she playfully teased on a daily basis, the man she played pai sho with and out of his frustration, started to allow to win, who she sipped tea with as they laughed on an autumn evening, who she would beg to play the tsugi horn so she and all their friends could dance, who they spent summers together with, was there the whole ride, every step of her life, was there for her, a brother in all but blood. This man was going to die overnight, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it. As these thoughts permeated and infected Katara's mind, gradually, like a slow-growing virus, she began to sob, she started crying and screaming like she hadn't since her mother's death. It hurt. It hurt like hell.

Aang could hardly breathe. His breath stopped the moment the doctor announced that Zuko would not make it through the night. Aang walked over to the side of the corridor's wall and he inhaled sharply. He felt like he would start hyperventilating if that inhaled breath were to be exhaled, so he held it. He could feel an influx of tears behind his eyes and he could feel the giant lump in his throat. Aang pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his hand over his mouth, gnawing at it, still holding in his breath. Zuko was his family. There was no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The man was a member of his family in every sense of the word that mattered. He did not want to lose Zuko. He did not know what he would ever do without him. He was one of the closest friends he had. He was part of his surrogate family he'd adopted when he was twelve-years-old. He thought nothing would ever pull the close-knit group apart. Aang already went through losing his entire race, his entire family again; it wasn't fair of the universe to take another. Not Zuko. Aang turned blue and his instincts reluctantly forced him to relinquish the breath and Aang's head slammed against the wall and he too began to wail. Avatar pride aside, Aang cried, harder than he could remember, the avatar cried.

Sokka immediately felt nauseous. _"…Will not make it through the night…"_ was all Sokka needed to hear before his stomach started doing somersaults. This was _Zuko. _The guy was invincible. Surely, the doctor was only kidding. Sokka had an appreciation for humor, even sometimes dark humor, but that would be pure sadistic. Sokka would take the doctor's sadism over his best friend's death in a heartbeat. He'd trade places with him in a heartbeat. He couldn't accept his best friend would soon have no more heartbeats. Zuko was the guy he went out drinking with, who he dragged against his will to the bar, who he'd play tricks on constantly, but he was more than that. He was always there for him, he always knew how to cheer him up when he got down on himself. He'd awkwardly stumble on his words as he got there, but that's what made them even more genuine. Zuko was funny. He seemed stiff and humorless when they'd first met, but Zuko had an unintentional sense of sarcasm that Sokka found hilarious. The man was his best friend. They'd done everything, been through everything, thick and thin together. Zuko was there when he and Suki were told they could never bear children. He couldn't fathom the thought of him never being there again. He couldn't fathom the thought of a life without "the jerkbender", his "bro". He didn't want to. Sokka kept feeling queasy, and at the wretched news, Sokka vomited, losing Zuko had made him sick.

Toph was dumbstruck too. Five heartbeats would be too quiet. The group-the family needed Zuko's firey heartbeat at their side. How did he expect them to trek on without him there? Sparky couldn't just off and die on them? He has a wife and daughter, he can't just die. It wasn't allowed. Toph knew everyone died, that was a fact. Just not Sparky. Sparky wasn't allowed to die. It hurt when they'd lost Iroh, she'd been close to him, but it was predictable, Iroh was old and lived a good life, but Zuko? He just reached forty. He had many years ahead. Many years for her to kick sand in his face, remind him she was blind, punch in the arm as he scowled and grumbled something beneath his breath, jump on his back and beg for a piggyback ride the way he gave hundreds to her in their youth, as he fell down from her weight and momentum as she laughed, teasing their daughters together, him stopping by, telling her how well she ran the police station in the city, cracking jokes about the consequences for criminals, and the simple conversations of each others' company. She remembered then, how she kept hearing about how Zuko had a scar. But it didn't seem real. She couldn't see it. One day, they were alone together, they were going through mountains, the reason unclear to her memory, she asked him of his scar and he let her "feel" it with her hands. The scar seemed real then. She needed the evidence to feel real, because this didn't feel real. Sparky leaving her didn't feel real. It wouldn't feel real until she could completely no longer feel the vibrations of his now-very-weak heartbeat. And, that terrified her. She didn't want Sparky's heartbeat to stop. This wasn't real. It couldn't be. Even when the heartbeat stopped, when she had evidence, no matter how many times as a cop she told herself when there's evidence-it's real. This still would not feel real.

She stood by him so long that hearing that that soon would be impossible was horrifying. They were teenagers and Suki was the head Kyoshi Warrior and head guard at the palace. She watched over him and protected him for years, and it wasn't out of pure obligation-it was also from love. Zuko was one of her best friends. She'd fought off many assassins through the years. Suki had been responsible for saving his life nearly as many times as Katara. She'd protected him for decades. This time-she had failed. She had failed as his royal guard. She had failed as his friend. She could stand by him no more. There'd forever be an empty spot where he'd stand and an empty void in her heart as well. Aside from obviously, Sokka, Zuko was the one who had comforted her when she was told of her inability to ever bear a surviving child. Zuko and Mai had suffered three miscarriages. He knew her hurt. She stupidly feared Sokka wouldn't love her, Zuko had told her that Sokka loved her more than anything and you couldn't get him to leave her at the expense of his life. He was the one who assured her that through each miscarriage, he'd loved Mai no less, that it might have even made them closer through the tragedy of the loss of their unborn child. In a way he'd also protected her. They'd protected each other. This time-she'd failed. So Suki joined with the others and she began to sob.

He was a second father figure in all of their lives. Kya, Bumi, Lin, and Tenzin, they all loved him dearly. Zuko was the one who'd taught Bumi swordsmanship after a failed lesson with his biological uncle. Zuko had come by one afternoon and noticed Bumi trying to master the art of the dual swords, and he scoffed at Sokka's skills, Zuko was a dual sword expert. He instructed Bumi every day since and they were very close. Bumi loved Uncle Zuko and his heart shattered at the revelation of his short time left, Bumi started to scream and cry. Tenzin was also very close to Zuko. Tenzin related to Zuko's stoic personality and the two always had gotten along well. Zuko had felt a guilt for his nation's eradication of the Air Nomads and had rushed over the day Tenzin was born. He was elated that he was an airbender and had watched a multitude of Tenzin's airbending lessons and Zuko would tell Tenzin stories of his youth, he loved to listen. Tenzin looked up to Zuko, aspired to be like him. He refused to accept his role model was leaving him. Tenzin cried. Tenzin cried hard. Zuko was just as close with the girls, Kya and Lin. Lin loved to pull tricks on him alongside her mother and the girls were forever sleeping over at the palace with Ursa. And, he went to every pro-bending match his ever-busy schedule would permit. Zuko was always like a father to them, he was just as protective around them as his daughter, questioning everyone within an inch of them, and always looking out for their safety. The girls would joke about that and complain of it often. But they appreciated it and they loved his quirks and his slim smile and his stories of the past and his quotes from his uncle and his proverbs. They too loved Uncle Zuko so the girls held each other in their arms for support and they both cried in each other's arms.

Ursa's world came crashing in at her feet. Her father was going to die, her daddy. Her gauche, loving, protective father was going to abandon her. The closest person to her in the world, the man who gave her life was going to die. Ursa didn't know what to do. Facing this was impossible. She loved her father, she admired him, trusted him, had faith in him, he was also her best friend, her daddy; life without him wouldn't make sense. Ursa fled, she didn't know what to do, how to face the situation, the pain was incomprehensive, and she'd never felt such a pang of pain and absolute shattered heartbreak in her life. The tears refused to yield, Ursa rushed out of the beach house. She could not deal with her father's death right before her very eyes. She sprinted through the sand and ran by the coast on the wave line. Her vision was blurred, her essence totally broken, there was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. This was all inevitable. Death always was. It doesn't matter who you are, death is a bigot to no one and will beat you to the bitter end. Ursa tripped in the sand and just didn't care enough to move so she just lied there, sobbing uncontrollably and screaming blood-curtailing screams to the sky. _**Not. Daddy.**_

In the midst of their sudden grief, they all knew they had to suck it up to say goodbye. They had to try (though it may be impossible) to suck it up and cherish the last moments with him. They owed it to him. If any of what they claimed was true, they needed to stand by him until the bitter end. They'd never leave him alone to die. So the group of friends and family held hands and entered Zuko's room. A small spark of his usually starlit eyes flickered in his gleam upon their entrance and a small slant came across his lips. He knew why they were all in here. He had tears going down his cheek from hearing them all lament out the door. He hated them grieving over him. He didn't feel worth mourning over. He didn't want to leave them. He wanted to see all the kids get married; he wanted to see his grandchildren. He didn't want to go so soon. It hurt; he'd never admit it, not even at the end of his life. He was always too proud, something his uncle would warn him would get the better of, even to his final hours. That was one thing Zuko was glad of. At least uncle didn't have to go through this. He wouldn't have been able to handle losing Zuko; it would have taken him as well. Mai still lied on the floor, sniveling, and now bleeding from slamming her head so many times. Aang helped her to her feet and sat her down at a chair as he stood over her with a hand rested on her shoulder, tears streaming the avatar's face as well. The friends all stared each other down, all of them terrified and aching to go first. Nothing was more difficult than goodbyes. Especially final ones. Aang stepped up to the plate first. He sat on the whicker chair by Zuko's bed and he held his hand.

"Zuko," Aang choked out.

"Aang, please…" Zuko muttered, still finding difficulty in speech.

"No, Zuko, let me talk…I…" Aang began as tears fell continuously, "I just…I don't want to lose you…but there's nothing we can do…and I feel so helpless, I'm sorry, Zuko, I'm so, so sorry, I-"

"Aang," Zuko affirmed, "You said it yourself. It's not your fault, let me talk," Zuko insisted and Aang bit his lip and nodded, "You're a great friend, Aang. You've always been there for me, and…You're a great avatar and….I love you, Aang."

Aang started to cry even harder. This couldn't truly be happening. "I love you too, Zuko…I…you're my best friend and I just-I-I…I can't…There has to be something we can do! Zuko…" Aang sobbed as he squeezed his hand tighter and Zuko sighed.

"Aang, I need a favor," Zuko asked and Aang quickly settled himself.

"Anything, Zuko, anything," Aang declared determinedly.

"I already said this to Katara a bit, but please…since I know for sure now…Ursa…Please, protect her, help her, she's going to be upset and scared and she won't know what to on that throne. Please don't let someone kill her, Aang, please," Zuko begged.

"I swear to you not a thing will happen to her, Zuko, I'll protect her with my life, you have my word, I promise," Aang swore with every ounce of sincerity he had behind his ongoing tears, the scenario still so surreal.

"Thank you, Aang, thank you…for everything," Zuko said, giving him a slim smile, "You've always been there for me and I know I'm no good at saying good things as you might recall from your wedding toast, but I just want you to know that."

"Of course I know that, you-you need to know how much I owe you! You're the one who's been working your tail off as fire lord and-" Aang stopped in mid-sentence, as a bit of realization struck in, he'd never speak to Zuko again and Aang collapsed at Zuko's side and sobs began to wrack his body, shoulders shaking, "You're my best friend, I-I love you, Zuko, I-I-"

Katara put an arm around her husband in comfort as she cried too. Aang, still weeping, gave Zuko an embrace, then wearily stepped away, he knew that time was limited and the others needed to say farewell too, though he could easily stay up all night by Zuko's side. Aang stepped to the side of the room and numbly fell to his knees and continued to cry. Katara then sat on that creaky, old, whicker, beach chair next. She was very on-edge and her face was buried in her hands as she sobbed.

"This should be me, why'd you jump that day, Zuko, Azula wanted to hit me, I can't see you die, Zuko, I-" Katara sobbed, holding his hand tightly.

"Katara, that's nonsense," Zuko stated, and he really meant it, "I couldn't have let you die and don't think for a second that any of this is your fault. Katara, you've been watching over me like my mother since we were kids and I owe you the world. You delivered my children, you've raced over in the middle of the night so many times to heal me, and…you-you're a great friend to me, Katara, I don't know what I'd have done without you, I-I love you, Katara."

Katara started crying uncontrollably and she shook her head in denial, "No! No! No!" Katara shouted, "Zuko, you can't die, you can't! I'm going to be sick, I-no! This isn't fair! We can't lose you! I can't do it, I'm gonna go crazy, Zuko!"

"Katara, stop, please," Zuko said tearfully, feeling his heart break.

"I love you, Zuko, y-you're my best friend, I need you, I love you, Zuko, please!" Katara sobbed as she lied on his chest and cried, her heart felt like someone froze it and then took a hammer and slammed it down on the fragile thing. Zuko didn't know what to say, he wasn't one for words. He was petrified and upset himself. So he just put his arm over her as she sobbed into his chest.

"You'll watch Ursa? You'll take care of Mai, you'll be a friend to her? Don't leave them alone," Zuko pleaded and Katara nodded feverously and affirmation as she held him tighter and wept.

"I promise, I promise, oh, Zuko, please, this isn't right," Katara cried as Sokka stepped behind her the way she did to Aang and he placed a hand on her shoulder. It was done. This was it. She'd never speak to him one-on-one again. He was going to die. Katara wearily stood and she affectionately pushed the bangs from his sweaty forehead and she planted a kiss on the top of his forehead, holding it for awhile, "I love you, Zuko," Katara told him one last time.

"I love you too, Katara, thank you," Zuko replied as a tear fell and Katara went to sit beside her husband as he held her in his arms and they both wept. Sokka then took his turn, he sat on the chair, he wasn't crying yet, he just felt sick in shock and devastation.

"Hey, bro," Sokka said, biting his lip and trying to be casual. Neither of them were very good at speaking their feelings.

"Hey, Sokka," Zuko replied, a small smile lining his face.

"How you doing?" Sokka asked, looking upwards, fighting the oncoming sleight of tears and possible puke.

"I've been better," Zuko joked and Sokka blew a small laugh as he nodded through tears.

"You know, you shouldn't do this to a man…" Sokka yelled slightly, his voice cracking, "Y-you shouldn't have me get all close to you and-and…have me all know you since I was sixteen and we were bailing my girlfriend and dad out of jail…and then wind up being my best friend that goes out drinking with me all the time and hangs out and…you shouldn't become part…part of our little family and then just go getting heart attacks on us all. I-I don't think I'm gonna be okay…I-I…mean…you're a fantastic fire lord, and husband and father, and friend and nothing's ever going to be the same and damn, damn, damn, I don't know if I can do it. I don't know if doing this without you is going to work for me, jerkbender, …I-I love you, and I don't think I can do it, I-" Sokka spilled as his emotions shattered out and he cried, putting his hand on Zuko's shoulder and Zuko was crying.

"You'll be fine, Sokka. You've always been fine. You're a great guy, Sokka. You've got lots in you. You'll be alright, I-I know you will. You all will. You're all strong and been through worse-"

"I don't know, man…th-this is the worst it's been I-" Sokka started through his interruption.

"You're an excellent man, Sokka. You're a fantastic warrior and I'm proud to call you my best friend. I…I love you, Sokka," Zuko said with a sigh, he was growing incredibly exhausted, but he knew each breath he salvaged out was worth every strength of holding on, because this was it. Sokka sobbed as he embraced Zuko a final time and reluctantly pulled away, sitting with the others, holding his sister's hand as she sat in his brother's-in-law arms, as together the group lamented.

The kids ran over next, to scared to do it alone, Kya, Bumi, Lin, and Tenzin all crowded Zuko's bedside and Zuko felt his heart crack. He loved those kids. He didn't want to die before he saw what their futures held.

"Uncle Zuko!" Kya cried, her face stung with tears and Zuko frowned. He never wanted to see them all in such upset, especially over him, "Uncle Zuko, y-you can't die, y-you promised to come to our match next Saturday, we're in the preliminaries and-"

"Kya's right, Uncle Zuko, we-we need you, so, you can tell your heart problems to come back in seventy years!" Lin shouted, her face also wet and red. Zuko sighed deeply in sympathy, Lin was always so proud, like himself. She must've fought hard not to cry. She lost. Lin never lost.

"We love you, Uncle Zuko!" Kya cried desperately.

"I love you too, Uncle Zuko, I love you a lot, I'm sorry if I ever hurt you with all those tricks, I-I promise to never do them again, j-just get better, please!" Lin begged.

"I-I love you girls too. I-I'm so proud of you, you've both grown into such fine, young ladies and…I know you girls love my Ursa, so I know you'll help her on the throne, okay? It's going to be hard for her, I…I'm just so proud of you all, I love you all very much, I hope you remember that, I-I really love you," Zuko spoke and they all choked out sobs.

"Uncle Zuko, I was supposed to get my airbending tattoos after Kya, Lin, and Ursa's match, you promised to come! I…Uncle Zuko! I love you, Uncle Zuko, please, I-I don't want you to die, I love you!" Tenzin cried and Zuko patted the boy's head.

"I love you too, Tenzin. I-I'm sorry, son, I-I…I'm proud of you, very proud, I…" Zuko choked out.

"U-uncle Z-Zuko…" Bumi cried, the boy looked like he could hardly muster the strength to speak he was so upset.

"My sword lessons, Ursa…I-I…You can't die this isn't fair!" Bumi shouted, tears spilling, "I love you too! You can't just…this…no!"

"I love you, Bumi, I-I'm very proud of you, son, and…I know I was harsh at first because you were dating my Ursa…I'm sorry…I know you love her. Please, Bumi…"

"What is it, Uncle Zuko?" Bumi cried out.

"Bumi, please, don't hurt her, don't break her heart. I know you love her, you'll be there for her, you promise, please? She loves you so much," Zuko said, tears falling.

"I promise, Uncle Zuko, I love Ursa more than anything, don't you worry! I'll be holding her hand, I won't leave her side for the rest of my life, I-I…I love you, Uncle Zuko, I-" Bumi sobbed.

"You won't let any other boys get close to her or come chasing after her, someone else has to chase those suitors away," Zuko half-joked.

"I-I will…trust me, Uncle Zuko, trust me, and…Uncle Zuko, please…" Bumi kept crying as his head fell in tears, as they all embraced him tightly, their hearts all breaking. They then heartbrokenly joined Aang, Sokka, and Katara, holding each other tight, struggling through a catastrophic heartbreak. They saw time running short as Zuko struggled even worse for air and Suki and Toph both crawled to Zuko's side.

"I'm so sorry, Zuko," Suki cried.

"Suki…" Zuko muttered.

"I couldn't protect you this time, it was my job. I've failed," Suki sobbed.

"You and Ty Lee did a great job of protecting me all those years and I couldn't be more grateful," Zuko said fiercely. He didn't want a single one of them doubting all they'd done for him and how much he loved each of them.

"Oh, Zuko…I-I-" Suki cried, burying her face in her hands. It was too hard, "I love you, Zuko, I do, you've been…you are…please…I can't say goodbye to you, Zuko, I can't do it, I-"

"Suki, please…d-don't cry…I…I hate seeing you all like this, I'm sorry…I…I love you too, Suki…I don't…" Zuko whimpered out.

"Knock it off, Sparky, there's nothing for you to apologize for," Toph cried, "I-I…I'm proud of you, Zuko. I don't know if you've heard that yet, but you're hearing it fro me now. You-you were a kid and you saved a country from a century's damnation of evil and you do a damn good job and you're a good man and I love you to pieces, Sparky, I…I didn't ever tell you enough, but I really love you and you're the best friend a person could ever ask for and I think I'm going to be sick, I really do, I-" Toph started, but she began to hyperventilate and Suki pulled her into her arms. None of them could handle this. Toph pulled off from Suki pulled Zuko into a close embrace. She squeezed a piece of chocolate into the palm of his hand and kissed his forehead. "I love you, Sparky, I-I" Toph sobbed.

"I love you too, Chief Bei Fong, I know…I-I know you'll do great at the police HQ…I-I am proud of you too, Toph, I…You're one of my best friends I-…thank you, Toph…for everything," Zuko said as Toph continued to hyperventilate and she crawled beside the others. Suki too kissed the top of her dear friend's head and held him close.

"I love you, Fire Lord Zuko," Suki assured.

"I love you, Suki…th-thank you," Zuko choked out and Suki lied on the floor and screamed. Why did he have to die? Then, Mai came. She dizzily stood from her chair, in another dimension, she wobbled beside Zuko then she collapsed on top of him and nuzzled her head into his neck and sobbed.

"I-I love you, Zuko, I love you so much, I love you," Mai kept whispering through her sobbing as she kissed him and Zuko weakly stroked her back.

"I'm sorry, Mai, I'm sorry, Mai, I'm so, so, so sorry," Zuko whispered back as he kissed her head, "I love you, Mai, I love you, help Ursa on the throne, Mai, please, she needs help, I'm sorry."

"Don't leave me, Zuko, please, Zuko, you don't understand, I can't live without you, Zuko, I'm serious," Mai cried to him in a whisper through his ear.

"I'm sorry, Mai, I don't want to die, I'm sorry," Zuko replied as Mai could barely comprehend what he said, she was too lost, too gone, she just kept kissing him and whispering soothing nothings into his ear and trying to comfort him and she kept begging him not to leave her and telling him how much she loved him. She knew he was scared. She knew that dying scared him. She wasn't leaving him, she wouldn't make him go alone.

"I love you, so, so much, Zuko, I love you," Mai repeated more.

"Mai…" Zuko spoke again and she stopped for a moment, "Do you regret…"

"Regret, wh-what?" Mai quaked through her tears.

"Marrying me. You hate politics, and I…I put so much stress on you all these years and I was always busy and…now…now I'm….I'm going to die…I'm leaving you alone with our daughter and I-I'm so sorry…I…I need to know…you would've been happier somewhere else….with someone else, right?" Zuko cried, he truly felt like he'd wasted her life on him.

"Don't you dare say that, Zuko," Mai cried, "I love you. I love you more than you'll ever be able to understand. There is nothing more that I could've wanted. You've given me all I-I- could ever want. Zuko, you've been nothing but loving and perfect to me my whole life, I'm the one who you should regret marrying. The fire lord's wife is supposed to be gorgeous and appealing and I'm a bland, gloomy thing who hides in her room, I'm so, sorry, I love you so much, I didn't mean it."

"You're gorgeous. You're beautiful, Mai. I love you. I'd be miserable with anyone else, there's no one else I would've even been content with, don't think that. Don't ever even think of that, please, Mai. Please, never forget how much I loved you, alright. And…don't let Ursa forget, if we ever have grandchildren…tell them about me…p-please…" Zuko cried and Mai began to lose it as she held Zuko tighter and began screaming. She couldn't stay calm anymore, not even for Zuko's sake, it was too hard, she loved him too much. She started screaming for his life, screaming to who knows who, begging for his life to be spared. But Zuko was weakening with every minute.

Bumi was lying on the floor sobbing, and he lifted his head, searching for his girlfriend. He'd forgotten about her. He was so upset, he could hardly remember to breathe, let alone remember Ursa's condition. But somehow, he staggered to his feet. He had to find her. He had to make sure she was alright. She needed to say goodbye to her father. He owed that to not just Ursa, but Uncle Zuko. Ursa is Uncle Zuko's whole world, his world revolves around her, it had since she was born. Ursa needed to say goodbye to her father, no matter how painful. If they could go through the unbelievable heartache, so could she. For her dad's sake. So Bumi stumbled through the sand, screaming her name through his tears and the lump in his throat. His throat ached and was sore from crying so hard. He finally spotted his girlfriend. He heard her screaming and crying by the shore.

"Ursa," Bumi muttered, rubbing her arm.

"Get off!" Ursa screamed hitting him.

"No! Get your ass in that house!" Bumi screamed.

"No! Get the hell away from me! Your dad isn't dying, you bastard!" Ursa cried.

"Ursa…you need to say goodbye to him! Not for me! Not for me and not just for you! I'm concerned about your father right now! I love your father, his world revolves around you, now I know this is the damn most painful thing, I can hardly breathe either, but you damn well owe it to that man to get your ass in there and tell him how much you love him and to say goodbye!" Bumi screamed as tears riveted off his face through the sweltering emotions. Ursa chocked and started heavily coughing and Bumi patted her back until she spat up some blood, it was from her sore throat and her wails in agony, she stared at Bumi with a look of horror in her face and nodded. He'd never seen anything so miserable and downtrodden in all his days. He pulled his girlfriend to her feet and walked her to the house as she sobbed, he just prayed it wouldn't be too late.

They stepped inside. Mai was still lying beside him and kissing his face and whispering to him as tears streamed her face. He'd looked far worse and more grave than when Ursa ran out. His friends and their children were all kneeling at his bedside and bawling their eyes out in one another's arms. Bumi guided Ursa to her father's side. She felt lightheaded, she swore she'd collapse any second. God couldn't take her father. It wasn't fair. He was a good man, a great man, he cared about people, he worked hard, he was selfless. Why not take her? She was the opposite of about every one of those things?

"Ursa, my baby," Zuko muttered, tears falling from his sunken face.

"Daddy," Ursa choked out.

"I'm so proud," Zuko stated.

"Me too, Daddy," Ursa replied.

"…Good girl…" Zuko huffed out, losing breath rapidly now.

"You…You'll be a great fire lord, I-I know you can do it…won't…easy…." Zuko stated and Ursa fell to her knees.

"DADDY, DON'T DIE, PLEASE, PLEASE!" Ursa screamed as she hugged him and her mother.

"I love you, Ursa, baby, I love you more than anything under the sun," Zuko said, a slim grin visible. And, he did. If anything made his life worthwhile, it was his daughter.

"I love you, Daddy, I love you so much, Daddy, please, please don't go, don't do this to all of us! PLEASE! Look at Mom, look at Bumi, look at Uncle Aang, and Aunt Katara and all of us, we all love you, we all love you and you're young and Daddy, please!" Ursa screamed.

"I love….all….life…sorry…love….regret….sorry…honor…fi re nation…destiny…" Zuko muttered out, his eyelids fluttering shut, and his heart beat diminishing gradually.

"NO!" Ursa screamed in denial.

"ZUKO!" Mai cried and they all surrounded him, they put a hand on him. He wasn't going out feeling alone. He was gonna know he was loved. They all placed their hand on him.

"I love you…" Zuko spoke his final words as he drew his last breath, his chest fell for the last time and the screams and cries of every person in that bedroom could be heard around the globe. They all were devastated. They all loved him more than words could express. Now he was gone from them all at age forty-one. _Destiny was a funny, cruel thing._


	5. Chapter 5

It had been two days. Forty-eight short hours had passed. Two long measures of sunsets had gone by. It still had not computed in most of their heads that he was not coming back-ever. Fire Nation custom had it that two days after the passing of the fire lord, the funeral would take place and the next bloodline would be crowned at the same ceremony. The only remaining royal blood was the young, heartbroken Princess Ursa. The girl was still weeping in her bedroom; she had no recollection of how she even got back to the palace from the beach house. Everything was blurred and fuzzy. All she could recall was the tremendous ache weighing down on her heart, creating a painful pit in the bottom of her stomach that she wanted to tear out. She'd look around her room; Bumi was there, her boyfriend. She forgot often. His hair looked unkempt and he bags beneath his tear-stung eyes.

"Bumi?" Ursa trembled out and Bumi looked over his shoulder.

"What is it, Ursa?" Bumi spoke softly. It felt strange; his vocal chords hadn't been used in two days. There had been nothing to say.

"I don't know," Ursa cried as she grabbed her knees to her chest and began sobbing. She just needed to hear the voice of someone she knew cared, "I think I'm going crazy."

Mai was in what was once her and her husband's bedroom. It still smelled like him. It still felt like him. His clothes were still scattered messily around the room. It didn't really feel like he was gone for good. It felt like he was just down in the basement filing his papers, and that he'd come crawling up back to her again tonight. How she'd give anything for that to still hold true. Mai started fiddling with the gold band on her finger. Every time she remembered he was gone, each time it sunk in deeper, cut in deeper in her heart, she wept. Mai kept pinching and twisting her wedding ringer around her finger, so much that a blister had formed. It kept taking her back to the night Zuko had proposed to her. They had been so young, and so very in love. Sickeningly sweet, almost like out of a novel.

"_I-I know you like this garden, Mai…" Zuko had mumbled as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head._

"_What, are you gonna shove me in the fountain again?" Mai joked. _

"_No!" He exclaimed, blushing fiercely. _

"_I'm only teasing you, Zuko," Mai said with a chuckle, "You're such a dork." _

"_Y-you do like this fountain though, right?" Zuko stuttered nervously, she was growing suspicious of his fumbles. He was awkward, she knew this, but this was extreme even for him, especially around her. He was comfortable with her. _

"_Sure, it's where I first-" Mai began, pausing, blushing, "It's where I first began to have feelings for you."_

"_And, Azula nearly lit your head on fire," Zuko laughed and Mai began to giggle. Zuko then led her to the edge of the fountain and Mai began to tiptoe against the ledge and Zuko's heart began thumping in his chest nervously. Zuko kept stuttering awkward reminiscents until he finally mustered up his courage. _

"_M-Mai, I-I need to…" Zuko swallowed hard, "Mai, I love you more than anything and I have for years a-and I know…I know it's a big commitment and you'd be getting yourself into being fire lady a-and…but Mai, I love you so much and I-I all I really want…I just want to spend my life at your side, and I-I know it isn't much, Mai, and I know I'm not much, b-but, Mai," Zuko continued as Mai cupped her hand over her mouth, he was proposing. He then knelt on the fountain ledge and his hand started to shake as he reached for his pocket. Then, in his nervousness, Zuko slipped, splashing into the fountain, sending the little box flying in the air. Mai started laughing harder than she had in all her days. Zuko was sopping wet. She couldn't help but be a bit sympathetic as well. Zuko looked like he was going to cry as he sat up and reached for the little, black, velvet box. He inhaled deeply._

"_I'm sorry, Mai," Zuko grumbled distraughtly._

"_No, Zuko, please continue," Mai urged as she started into his eyes, her answer reciting in her mind and Zuko started to blush, as did she. Zuko then opened the box, biting his lip._

"_Mai, will-will you do me the honor of being my wife?" Zuko asked, closing one eye in fear as he held his breath. Mai started to laugh, tears forming in her eyes. She pulled Zuko close in her arms, then pushed him backwards, throwing herself in the fountain with Zuko, as the two began to kiss passionately in the fountain, soaking wet. _

"_Of course I will, you dork. I love you," Mai said as she pulled him back into the kiss and Zuko began grinning ear to ear through their lip-lock as Zuko slipped the golden, fire nation engagement ring to her slim finger, wrapped in each other's wet arms as the water trickled down their bodies. _

Mai began choking from crying so hard. That was twenty years prior, but she'd kept loving him the same and more every day since. Life without him seemed more impossible each time she tried to grapple with it. Mai felt like she was going to lose her mind. This was the most unbearable pain she'd ever dealt with. Coping seemed more out of the question by the second. Mai then lifted her head from the ground; she spotted one of her knives on the table. No, it wasn't one of hers-this one was Zuko's. Mai held her breath again. Zuko. Her love. Her dead love. His uncle had given it to him as a child and Zuko kept it close to remind him of his uncle. Mai walked to it and clutched it in her hand tightly. _Oh, God, her husband was __**dead. **_Mai pressed the cold dagger to her throat. One quick sleight of hand was all it would take. She knew how to do it quickly, painlessly. All the pain could be gone instantly; Mai pressed the sharp edge harder to neck. The idea seemed more and more tempting by the second. She rubbed her thumb against the blade, cutting it, but she felt the inscription. Never give up without a fight.

Mai dropped the knife quickly in horror. What was she doing? She couldn't kill herself! Leave Ursa? No, she could never leave Ursa; she would never leave her daughter all alone, an orphan. Ursa would blame herself forever. She could never do that to her. She could not do it to Zuko. He'd be sick if she killed herself. She could not give up without a fight. Her hands started trembling again, all she wanted was for him to hold her tight and comfort her, but he was the reason for her ache, for her incomprehensive pain, for her relentless tears.

Sokka, Katara, Toph, Suki, and Aang were in one of the palace guest rooms. All of them still had their faces still wet and with heavy, dark circles drooping from underneath their eyes, except for Aang. He just stared out of the window, silently; sometimes he'd massage Katara's shoulders in comfort as she wept. Aang was gone.

"The funeral is today," Aang finally spoke, the first of them in the two days.

"I can't go-I can't do it," Katara cried.

"You have no choice," Aang said bluntly.

"But Zuko, Aang, they're going to light his body on fire!" Katara screamed, as tears started pouring off her face once more.

"He's dead, it doesn't matter what they do with his body," Aang stated and the group's eyes bolted wide open.

"It doesn't bother you?" Katara screamed, knocking over a vase and smashing it, "You're not the least bit perturbed that Zuko's body is about to go up in smoke?"

"There is nothing we can do, Katara," Aang stated and Katara began weeping harder.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Sokka snapped in disgust as his tear-glossed eyes glared at his brother-in-law.

"Everything," Aang stated coolly.

"Do you even give a shit? Do you not give a shit that he's dead? Did you ever give a damn about him?" Sokka yelled, standing up, Aang turned away. _No. No. No._

"I'm-I'm just being realistic!" Aang shouted back as Sokka pinched his eyelids shut. He felt like he was going to burst. He felt miserable, and Aang seemed so apathetic. Sokka felt a spike of rage, he felt like Aang was betraying Zuko. Sokka grunted in anger as he took Aang by the shirt collar and pinned him to the wall, tears falling from his eyes.

"You want to know what's _realistic_? How Zuko worked _his ass off_ on the throne for _twenty-five years_ and was always there for _you_ and how you should be just upset-maybe you should be more upset- as us! But you don't care! You couldn't seem to care less!" Sokka screamed slamming Aang back against the wall. Sokka gritted his teeth as he finally released Aang and fell to his knees, weeping. Aang swallowed hard. He cared, he cared too much than he could handle.

"Get dressed, everyone. Zuko would be ashamed if we didn't attend his funeral," Aang said quietly. They all were mad at Aang. But they knew he was right, they brokenly got to their feet, except Sokka who kept sobbing at his knees as Suki comforted him.

"Aang, how can you say those things?" Katara cried in her husband's arms as Aang stroked her hair. Aang silently kissed the top of his wife's head and walked to Ursa's room and knocked on the door.

"Get the hell away!" Ursa screamed as Aang heard a large thud against the door, Ursa had thrown something. Bumi then whispered something inaudible to Aang as he answered the door.

"Dad," Bumi muttered to his father at the door, looking about to crack.

"Bumi, we need to go, it's time for the funeral," Aang told.

"I'm not going!" Ursa screamed into her pillow as she pulled her hair.

"Ursa, you're begin coronated today, you need to get ready," Aang explained and Bumi was puzzled by his father's calm demeanor only two days post one of his closest friend's death. Ursa froze in shock. She forgot all about being fire lord; she was too caught up with hurting over her father to care about that, though it lingered in the back of her mind. She did not want to be fire lord, not now, it was much too soon.

"No!" Ursa screamed adamantly.

"Dad, it's too soon…Uncle Zuko just died, you can't make her be fire lord now!" Bumi cried.

"They can't have no one on the throne, Bumi," Aang explicated.

"What's wrong with you, Dad?" Bumi cried, tears falling from his eyes.

"Nothing!" Aang shouted, "Get ready, you need to look presentable!" Aang ordered and Bumi ran off to find his mother, Aang was never harsh with his children, now Zuko was dead and he seemed almost so cold he was half-alive. Aang gritted his teeth as he went to Mai's room next. Katara came running to Ursa's room alongside Bumi who'd fetched her. Ursa ran into Katara's arms, weeping hysterically as Katara cradled her like a child.

"Aunt Katara!" Ursa choked out, "Uncle Aang is being so mean-I-I-"

"Shhhhhhh," Katara said soothingly as she stroked her hair, "It's okay, I'll talk to him, it's going to be okay."

"I can't be fire lord now, I can't, I'm so scared," Ursa cried, "I just want Daddy, oh my God, I just want my daddy, Aunt Katara, I want Daddy!"

"I want him too, Ursa, I want him too, I loved him too, Ursa," Katara cried, pulling his friend's daughter close as they both wept. Mai then entered the room, she was holding the Fire Nation crown.

"Ursa, sweetie," Mai said softly as she tucked a strand of hair behind her daughter's ear, "Baby, you need to become fire lord today."

"Mai!" Katara snapped, she couldn't believe the girl's on mother advocated for such a thing. But Mai knew the politics of the nation better than Katara ever could, she understood. The sages would insist upon it anyway, they'd coronate her even if they had to put her in a straightjacket to do it.

"You think this is what I want?" Mai cried.

"Mom-Mom," Ursa started to hyperventilate once more. Fire Lord? No, she couldn't, that was her father's job anyway.

"Ursa, I'd do it for you in a heartbeat if I could. Listen, your dad would want you to just do this for him, sweetheart, please. I know it's scary, but it's just a title for now, you don't need to start anything yet," Mai explained through tears. Katara was still mortified.

"Aunt Katara!" Ursa cried desperately.

"Mai, really, do you have to do this to her? Now?" Katara cried.

"Yes, Katara, she does, and it isn't Mai's doing," Aang explained, "I'll help you, Ursa. I know Fire Nation politics, you'll just be taking a title for now, I'll take care of everything for you."

"Dad, no!" Bumi snapped, "I won't let you do it!" Bumi declared in defense of his girlfriend.

"Aang, this seems so cruel, she's young and…Zuko _just_ passed," Katara cried.

"I was twelve when my whole race was eradicated," Aang stated stoically and Katara's eyes widened. Where did her sympathetic, loving husband go? "Who do you all think is going to be fire lord?" Aang asked quizzically.

Katara then paused a moment, through her unstable state of mind over her depression, she never pondered that. Ursa had to be fire lord. Katara started to cry. She charged out of the room, running down to an underground corridor. There was a catacomb room and it was bitter cold. Zuko's body was being held there. They were together in catacombs once again. Katara walked over to Zuko's body and put a hand on his face, right over his scar. Her lip started to tremble as she flashbacked to her futile offer to heal his mark with her spirit water. They'd tried later, it didn't work. The water brought Aang back to life later; maybe she could bring him back now. She knew it would be useless.

His face felt so cold. He'd always been so warm, he was a firebender, so naturally he was always warmer than usual. That's why when they got caught up in the snowstorm as kids, he kept insisting on giving up his layers of clothing for them first. "I'm a firebender, I keep warm better," he'd insist as he took off his socks and shoes and gave them to Toph, then carrying her on her back for five miles, barefoot in the snow during a blizzard. Toph's feet had gone numb and she couldn't see. They were out penguin sledding and staying with her father and a storm kicked in. They got lost. They all thought they'd die, but Sokka found a cave. Zuko lit a fire, she remembered how he couldn't feel his feet and Toph's countless apologies and Zuko waving them off. Katara could've sworn he'd get frostbite and his feet would end up amputated. She remembered how her teeth began chattering so Zuko gave her his coat, not accepting no for an answer. She remembered Sokka pulling out the little food they had and Zuko refusing to eat, telling them to spare it for themselves even when they all begged him to eat. She remembered his stomach growling later through the night, he'd blush and dismiss it, insisting he wasn't hungry. Liar. She remembered them all bundling up against each other to keep warm near the fire and with each other. They were all so scared. She was next to her then boyfriend and Zuko. It was the only other time she'd felt him cold. He was like ice. She then remembered waking up first, terrified to have found one of them frozen to death in their slumber. Katara recalled checking Zuko first, terrified that his improper clad and energy fuel would have done him out first. She sighed in relief as she saw his chest rise slowly. She then kissed Aang, waking him. The blizzard had ended. They'd all made it-together. They cried and embraced each other. They all always pulled through-together. Not this time. They lost one of them.

Katara then held his hand. It too was colder than ice. Katara felt a contrast of hot tears flow off her face. His callous hand in her grip reminded her of she and Aang's wedding reception. He'd been the best man, Aang's idea. Zuko's toast had been the most awkward faux pas filled thing she'd ever heard, but it was so Zuko and so full of heart that it didn't matter. She'd just married the love of her life and she wouldn't have wanted Zuko's toast any other way. Later in the night, she'd excitedly ran up to him after dancing all night with Aang and then dancing with her brother and father. She'd gone up to him, he was talking with his wife, his uncle, and Sokka.

"Zuko, I've gotten a dance with everyone," She recalled hinting with a smile, he gave her a puzzled grin back.

"That's good…I suppose?" He replied and she laughed.

"I danced all night with my husband, danced with my brother, danced with my father, my wedding night's not going to be complete if I don't get one with my best friend," She pleaded, extending her hand. He pouted and his wife laughed, the two of them had only had one dance at their own wedding, both of them the dour type. That was, until Sokka got Zuko drunk, then Zuko wouldn't stop dancing. He was more sober and reluctant this night. She recollected him looking up to her eager, bright, blue eyes and wide smile and relinquishing a sigh. He accepted her hand then, not to disappoint his friend on the most important night of her life.

"I can't dance, Katara…" He'd grumbled and she laughed. He wasn't kidding he stepped on her foot every other step and was mumbling an apology every other second. Now her gauche, big-hearted friend was laying their dead, his body to be seared into ash in less than hour. Katara then fell to her knees, his hand still in hers, sobbing as she caught ear of another voice whimpering. Toph was down there as well. She admitted to Katara she wanted to "see" Zuko one last time before they burnt his body away for good. The friends continued weeping together.

The minutes passed slowly. It was time. The funeral was beginning. Zuko's coffin was rolled out in front of millions by the sages. They were all behind the curtains, trying to prepare for the worst moment of their lives. Sokka was drunk. He hadn't stopped drinking since Zuko died, he was a wreck, he and Zuko had been very, very close.

"I wasn't good enough for him," Mai confessed.

"That's dumb, Mai, he loved you," Suki assured with tears.

"I didn't treat him right. I was so…cynical at times," Mai cried.

"That was just playful banter, Mai, Zuko knew that. That's why he loved you," Suki insisted.

"I left him after seven assassination attempts because I thought he was keeping some dumb secret, once I got mad and threw a knife at him and it cut a gash in his arm," Mai sobbed, "I nagged him all the time, as if he didn't have enough to worry about! I probably killed him! I hardly even told him I loved him!"

"The words aren't what say it, Mai," Katara muttered, "He knew you loved him, everyone knows you love him, we always did."

"It happened so fast. Dear God_, Zuko's dead_," Mai cried, feeling lightheaded once more.

"I saw it coming, I should have done something," Katara cried as Aang clutched her shoulder.

"You're a healer, not a psychic," Mai trembled out, shaking.

"I'm still the reason he even had heart problems," Katara cried frantically, "I'm the one who should be dead!"

"It's Azula's fault, and don't say that, Katara, please," Aang said. Kya and Lin were holding Ursa in an embrace, the three girls crying. Tenzin kept trying to help his uncle to his feet; he was choking out tears too. This wasn't right.

Then, the gong began to dong. It was time. Aang remained behind the curtains where he stood alongside Zuko twenty-plus years before when they addressed the world, announced the war was over. They embraced, Aang told Zuko they were friends, Zuko called Aang over after they crowned him Fire Lord and they looked on at the world with such high hopes for the future. And, they did fulfill those hopes together. They built up a whole, new, multicultural nation together. Aang never thought he'd live to see his partner go. Aang ached inside; he hurt like someone stabbed his heart fifty times over. He was half in shock and half in denial still. He felt his knees go weak, once where they spoke of the future; now Aang would have to give his obligatory eulogy to millions as the avatar. Aang saw it more a duty as he loved the man like a brother and missed him already more than he could ever explain with mere words.

The other friends stood in the front of the crowd, weeping. Mai and Ursa stood in hysterics on the platform. It seemed to go in play-by-play motion for all of them as the sage spoke professionally and ignited Zuko into flames. They all held their breath and forced back their cries and screams. Ursa wasn't as self-disciplined, she started to scream and reach out to try to stop it, then Bumi leapt forward, attempting to race up to the platform to hold his girlfriend back, but he was restricted by his mother and Ursa by hers. Aang then stepped forward and Katara winced. Aang was being cold lately. She didn't know how this would go, what he'd say. But when Aang stepped forward, everything he recited in his mind, how he was going to tell them all how much Zuko meant to him, how he was going to throw profession to the wind and just say how he'd loved Zuko as his best friend, not how he was a great fire lord to work with. Because Aang didn't care about that, he wasn't upset about a diplomatic partner, he was dying inside over his best friend. But when Aang stepped forward, his headstrong avatar mask shattered. He couldn't find words, his mouth flopped like a fish out of water, but no words came out, his throat swelled up. He cracked, he started to cry. The avatar was standing silently, pathetically, in front of millions of people who just lost their leader, weeping. So much for his strong act, he wasn't strong enough to keep it going. He just wanted Zuko back. If Zuko was there, and not dead he'd nudge his shoulder and whisper to him what to say. Aang had to keep slapping himself to remind himself that Zuko really was gone, he could never again tell him what to say.

Katara stared at her husband. She should've known. He cared just as much as them, he was putting on act. He didn't need a mask for them. They all hurt just as much as him. Ursa ran over to Aang embracing him, sobbing in his arms as Aang leaned his head on top of hers, crying as well. He managed to mutter to her an apology and she just sobbed harder. A sage tore them apart, Aang felt his heart crack. He knew she had to be crowned fire lord, he knew she was scared. He loved the girl too. He promised Zuko to help her, to protect her, and by God, he would, with his life if he had to. He would do it all for her at first, show her the ropes. She'd be okay. She is strong. Ursa was shaking, crying her eyes out. Mai was also trembling. She wanted her husband back, he would have stepped in, protected their daughter from the whims of politics. But he was dead, that was why she even needed protection. Mai knew it had to be done. She hated it. Zuko had hated it too. The sage got Ursa on her knees. Bumi had to keep stopping himself from racing beside his girlfriend. She looked devastated.

"Fire Lord Zuko has passed, in succession to him, we hereby crown Princess Ursa, daughter of Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Mai, the Fire Lord of our great nation!" The sage announced, preparing to put the crown into her topknot. Ursa panicked. No. No. No. She wasn't going to be fire lord, not today. She had a life to live, adventures to find, and that was her father's crown. No one could be fire lord but him. It hurt too much. She could never replace him. So Ursa smacked the crown out of the sage's hand.

"That's Daddy's," She choked out then she shot a ring of flames forward. They all were in shock, and distraction from the flames. Ursa ran faster than she ever had in her life. She darted to her room, tears spilling. What the hell was she doing? She grabbed a suitcase and stuffed a spare of clothes in her bag, her favorite knife, and a portrait of her father in the suitcase. But before she zipped it shut, she looked in the mirror. She was too distinguishable. She held her breath and took the knife, slicing her thick, raven hair off, leaving it up to her ear. She then shoved the knife back in the case, quickly zipping it shut, leaving her hair on the carpet. She then began to scurry off, shooting flames down the halls to keep them off her tracks. She needed to get out of here. _Bumi. _He'd come with her, she wouldn't be alone. But Ursa bit her lip, there was no time to turn back. But unbeknownst to the princess, her boyfriend was already chasing after her, closer than the officials and her mother and her friends and surrogate aunts and uncles. Bumi was right on her trail. She started to sprint off, Bumi caught her by the wrist, tears fresh in his eyes. She halted in her steps and looked him deep in his blue, foggy eyes with her wet, amber ones.

"_**What**__ is going on?"_


	6. Chapter 6

"Let go of me, Bumi, I need to get out of here!" Ursa cried as she struggled, trying to break off her boyfriend's grip through her tears.

"Stop it!" Bumi shouted, trying to be strong for her, fighting back his own tears, "You're upset, and you're acting crazy!"

"I'm not!" Ursa insisted, as she tried to yank Bumi's hand from his clutch on her wrist. He wouldn't budge, keeping a stern expression.

"You ran away from your coronation, and set half of the palace on fire, Ursa. I-I know you're upset, but this is too far!" Bumi cried.

"I have to get out of here, Bumi! I can _easily_ _make_ you let go of me!" Ursa yelled in demand.

"Why do you have to leave? You cannot leave! You have to be fire lord, Ursa; you are being irrational and immature! What happened to that whole maturity act you kept giving your father? Now that he's gone, so's that! He'd be ashamed of you right now, you're being pathetic!" Bumi cried. Ursa's eyes widened at that comment. It stung. In anger Ursa thrust her wrist down, breaking off her boyfriend's grip.

"You're pathetic! You shut up, Bumi! You don't know anything about me or what I have to do!" Ursa screamed, tears coming off her face.

"Ursa," Bumi said more softly, stepping towards her with open arms for an embrace, "Of course I know you, I love you. Ursa, you're going to regret this later, sweetheart. Just come back to the coronation ceremony. Our parents are going to catch up soon, your fire will only stall them so long."

"Our parents? You mean, your parents and my mother," Ursa snapped and Bumi sighed deeply. How did he respond to that? Yes, Zuko was gone.

"Ursa, _please_," Bumi muttered, his lip trembling.

"I thought you knew me, Bumi. I thought you'd understand. I was wrong. I can't stay here anymore; I won't be fire lord. Not now, I'm not ready, but they'll never let me leave. Someone more competent needs to get on that throne, not some inexperienced princess who's been spoon-fed by her now…_dead father_…for the past eighteen years," Ursa explained, "We need democratically elected officials, this monarchy stuff is ancient and inefficient."

"Ursa, that's the way it is right now, and you're in line, you can't run away from your duty, your country, your life," Bumi reasoned.

"Well, I am. And, I'll do it alone, with or without you, Bumi, but you're welcomed to join me. There's a world out there, and I want to see it before I'm cooped up in a creepy, dingy basement signing papers for the rest of my short life before I die of a heart attack," Ursa spat out sharply, tears continuing to fall.

"This is crazy and stupid, you should hear yourself once you've calmed down!" Bumi cried to his girlfriend.

"I'm not doing this out of grief, Bumi!" Ursa cried, "Yes, I'm-I'm really upset right now, sometimes I can hardly breathe! Yes, I want my Daddy, I do, I miss him more than anything and I'd give anything to have him back! And, yes, all I want to do right now is curl up in a ball and die! But that isn't why I'm running away! I'm running away from all this stupid political garbage! The etiquette, the rules, the mannerisms, the politics, the royalty, the classes, the economics, the legislation, the paperwork!"

"…I-I won't let you do it. I-I cannot let you do this, Ursa, I'll get my father if I have to," Bumi choked out. Ursa felt as though her boyfriend had stabbed her in the back. She swallowed hard the lump in her throat.

"Then this is goodbye," Ursa said proudly, standing upwards. She knew he'd said he'd try to stop her. She didn't want to, but Ursa bit her lip as tears fell and she took a blade from her sleeve. It was the hat trick her mother taught her, seemingly eons ago, she flung them at Bumi, causing him to be pinned to the wall, as he gasped and cried for help. Ursa closed her eyes in pity and ambivalent confliction. She then bent out blue flames, making a fortress to trap him, being careful not to harm him. She knew Aunt Katara would be there quickly, she'd put it out.

"You _coward_! Get back here, Ursa! This is insane! You're crazy! Who're you, your Aunt Azula? You traitor! You traitor, your dad would be ashamed of you for doing this! Ursa! Ursa, you idiot, you're going to get yourself murdered! Where the hell are you going!" Bumi cried out in anger as tears fell from his eyes and he ferociously tried to break free. As Bumi shouted Ursa was already halfway out the door. What in the world was taking them all so long, his father, mother, uncle, aunt, Toph, his sister, brother, and best friend? The sages? Where were they all? Still fighting the flames. Ursa's flames were highly fatal and much more powerful and fast-spreading than normal firebender's flames. They were of a skilled, prodigal, blue fire. They were probably still making sure none would spread, and kill the crowd, and putting out what was blocking them up the stairs to the bedrooms.

Ursa ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Sprinting off, without checking for where she was going, she didn't even know her destination, she just wanted _**out**_. She was scared, broken, and alone. She wanted Bumi, how could he not follow her? She loved him, or so she thought. Everything hurt and no one understood her. Her father would have, but he was dead, he wasn't coming back. Every time Ursa remembered that, she lost her breath. Her stamina was running on E too, her exhaustion catching with her as her tears caught in the wind. Ursa didn't know how long she'd be running, it felt like minutes, but really it had been over an hour. She didn't even know how she could ever run so fast for so long, the area around her didn't even look familiar. Ursa could not do it anymore, her fatigue and heartache got the best of her and she crashed in the cryptic woods. She fell under a tree onto the moss. She laid there panting, until she bursted into tears.

What the hell was he doing? He was chasing after her. Why? Why, _why, __**why**_? The girl just threw mortal weapons at him and almost lit him aflame, and he was following her out in the middle of nowhere. He was chasing after her. He was petrified and lost. But he'd be more petrified and lost if something were to happen to her. Bumi wasn't used to this feeling, this newfound love. Nothing else seemed to matter; even his family was taking a backseat to her. He couldn't let something happen to her, he had to go after her and make sure she was okay. And, something inside of him reluctantly agreed. He didn't want her on the throne yet either. He knew she had to, and he knew it was going to be hell on Earth if she didn't, but something inside of him was dragging him into her plan-her getaway scheme. He had no clue what kind of vagabond princess game he was getting involved with, but he was, because anything was better than the absence of her in his life. Not to mention, she was so, so broken. Her father was the one man, until he, loved her unconditionally. He understood her, loved her, and she loved him, he was her best friend. And, now, now this man was gone, so early he was stolen out of her life forever, out of all of their lives. He couldn't rad her out; he couldn't crush her in the midst of her lowest point. He remembered what his father told him: "when we're at our lowest points, that's when we're open to our greatest change." Maybe it was Ursa's time to shine. Maybe it was his too. Somehow, telling his father, though he knew it was the right thing to do, wasn't what he wanted, wasn't what he and Ursa needed. It was an indescribable feeling. So, Bumi just ran, he ran and ran, so close, yet so far on her trail. She would not be alone. He'd follow her through hell and back if he had to. _"Wherever you go, I go, Princess Ursa. For better or for worse."_

They were all coughing and choking on the smoke, caught in with their tears. They didn't feel like dealing with this, not now. Mai was most upset. They'd just spent about an hour extinguishing the flames throughout the palace to get to her, and she was gone. So was Bumi. They both had vanished; leaving only locks of hair and ripped clothing that was pinned to the wall by some blades.

"_Where_ is she?" Mai cried, burying her face in her hands. Sokka put a hand on her shoulder in comfort wordlessly.

"We'll find her," Aang stated determinedly, swallowing the lump in his throat. She and Bumi will be back, safe and sound in no time.

"I know how Ursa feels, I do, if anyone knows how she feels, it's me," Katara sniffled, "I felt the same when I lost my mother. Lost, broken, helpless, there's nothing worse than losing a parent, trust me," Katara cried as she grabbed her mother's necklace absentmindedly, "But this is ridiculous!"

"Katara," Toph muttered, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Toph, she can't run away from her responsibilities, I don't care how upset she is. I'm upset too; I miss Zuko too. I loved my mother; she was murdered when I was eight. I didn't run away from my problems, I prevented problems; I was ten years younger than her. I took on all of my mother's responsibilities! I know it's no candlelight to taking on Fire Lord responsibilities, but still! She can't run away because it hurts, because she's scared! It's selfish, and…" Katara cried in anger.

"She isn't you, Katara," Toph spoke softly, "Nobody handles grief the same as another. She'll come back, Bumi will bring her back."

"Toph's right, Sweetie. Bumi wouldn't let her get far, I'm sure he's leading her back now. She just…_we all_ just need a little time," Aang admitted, exhaling deeply. They had to be strong.

"You don't know my daughter," Mai cried as she clutched a lock of her daughter's hair from the ground, kneeling, tears trickling off her face.

"Sure we do, Mai, not as well as you, but we know her," Suki spoke sullenly.

"She cut her hair," Mai emphasized and the others stared at her quizzically, "You don't cut your hair in the Fire Nation, you…Royalty doesn't cut their hair…Besides…Ursa loves her hair, she wouldn't…She doesn't plan on coming back."

"My son wouldn't run off with her! He wouldn't let her not come back!" Katara cried.

"Bumi might be coming back, but Ursa won't be with him," Mai stated, standing from her place.

"Bumi wouldn't leave her. He loves her, and he knows she's upset," Aang stated as he punched the bureau in frustration. Mai's knees began to weaken as she cupped her hand over her mouth and started to weep again. Sokka then put an arm around her in comfort.

"I want _Zuko_! I _miss_ him! He'd know what to do, he always knew what to do with her, and I _never_ did! I _never_ know what to do with her! I could discipline her- that was one thing I could do, he couldn't, but that's all. He was the one who comforted her, he-he…I don't know what to do, I-I just want my husband, _I want Zuko_," Mai cried, she felt pathetic, she felt weak. She hated crying in front of these people, she hated feeling helpless and broken, that was something Zuko always praised her on being the opposite of. But he was her other half, and without him, she was just a half-filled heart and half of a soul. Sokka rubbed her shoulder in comfort, a single tear lining his dark cheek. Aang then ran his hand over his head in stress. Was this how Zuko always felt the last twenty-five years? He can see what this could do to a man's health and wondered how he held on that long. Aang then mentally kicked himself for thinking such things. What was he going to do? Zuko's daughter, a girl he knew since she was an infant, a girl he loved, the girl he promised, gave as his best friend's dying wish, that he would protect, was missing along with his eldest son- all of this right after he lost his best friend. The universe wasn't being kind to the avatar.

"I-I've _got_ to find them," Aang spoke, in a determined, desperate trance.

"Sweetie," Katara said softly, cupping her husband's cheek.

"Katara, Mai is right, Ursa won't come back, Bumi won't leave her; I need to drag them back. I-I need to drag them back kicking and screaming if I have to," Aang declared. Aang then made his way for the door, as Sokka held out his arm to halt him. "Sokka, I need to go, buddy."

"I know, Aang. I need to come," Sokka stated, his blue eyes quaking with tears, as he met the same quaking gray ones, the same saddened gleam of determination.

"I appreciate it, Sokka, but-" Aang began.

"No, Aang, you aren't going alone. And, Bumi is my nephew. And, I'm not letting anything happen to Zuko's kid either," Sokka pronounced. Aang gave him a gracious smile, flickering with tears as he put a thankful hand on his brother's-in-law shoulder. The two then headed out the door.

"I'm alerting the imperial army," Mai proclaimed.

"Mai, are you sure that-" Suki began.

"My daughter ran off from being crowned Fire Lord two days after her father died. She doesn't know her way around here any better than the Earth King… And…if she's anything like me at all. I put a knife to my throat; I don't want her doing the same. I _will_ find my daughter," Mai acclaimed fervently. Katara eyed Mai in shock.

"Mai," Katara whispered.

"What?" Mai snapped and Katara shook her head.

"Don't, Zuko wouldn't want you to, Mai, _don't,_" Katara whimpered as she embraced the woman tightly. She couldn't believe Mai even contemplated such a thing. Mai was stunned. People didn't hug her often. Mai needed a hug, desperately. She began sobbing into the Water Tribe woman's shoulder as she rubbed her back. "Zuko wants you here, Mai."

"I-I know he does, I…I just loved him so and I don't know! I don't know how, _how the f***_ I'm going to do this without him. Katara, take care of Aang, t-take care of him, I-I never thought I'd lose Zuko, I never thought he'd leave me so young, y-you never know, just-" Mai continued to cry, as did Katara, as she held the weeping widow.

"I-I loved him too, Mai, I-I am so sorry…I-we'll get Ursa back, Ursa and Bumi will come back," Katara sobbed.

"I'm going to send the command to the imperial army," Toph muttered, drying her own eyes. Mai nodded, whispering a thank you through her lips as the softly sobbing officer went off with her orders. A few moments later, a pounding erupted at the door.

"Bumi! Ursa!" Katara exclaimed in anxiety as she released Mai and jumped to the door. Instead, she was greeted with Mai's family. Mai's eyes widened, she hadn't seen her parents in fifteen years.

"Mom…Dad…Tom-Tom…" Mai muttered, wiping her eyes furiously. Katara stepped out of the way.

"Where is our granddaughter?" Mai's mother snapped.

"I don't know, Mom," Mai cried.

"You lost her? She is supposed to be the fire lord!" Mai's father reprimanded.

"I know that, Dad," Mai sobbed.

"Do you think she's alright, Mai?" Her twenty-five-year-old brother asked, the only one who seemed genuinely concerned, as he knelt to Mai's level on the ground, putting his hand on her back.

"I hope so, Tom-Tom, I-" Mai started to speak, but bursted back into tears.

"I told you marrying that-that traitor would lead to nothing but trouble!" Mai's mother snarled. Her parents opposed her marriage to Zuko since the day Ozai was taken out of power. They were fiercely dedicated and loyal to Ozai.

"Shut up, Mom. Zuko was the best thing that ever happened to me, and he saved this country, he gave Dad a great position, despite his loyalty to Ozai, but you were greedy and didn't care. He did nothing but try to reach out to you his whole life, and you threw it all in his face because you were hung up on that tyrant. If you _dare ever_ speak that way about _my husband_ ever again, you _will_ be sorry," Mai snarled, glaring spitefully at her parents through tears.

"Mai, I realize you are upset that your husband passed, but how could you manage to lose your daughter?" Mai's father asked sternly.

"Gee, I don't know, but I remember someone losing Tom-Tom when he was practically an infant, right off a balcony," Mai muttered bitterly.

"That's right, the avatar kidnapped him," Mai's father said, glaring at Katara.

"_The avatar_ is the one who returned Tom-Tom. Azula, the one you praised all the time, she's the one who nearly got Tom-Tom killed," Mai grumbled her father rolled his eyes.

"I still cannot forgive you for marrying yourself into this traitorous mess," Her father stated.

"Who? Zuko and his friends? The one who turned this world around before your beloved Ozai burnt it to the ground? Zuko's friends have been for me much more than you have through this! My husband, your son-in-law just died, and all you can do is berate him and me? Get out of my sight," Mai screamed as tears fell from her face.

"M-Mai, I didn't mean…I am sorry for your loss, dear," Mai's mother said.

"Yes, Mai, I am sorry," Mai's father gave his condolence. Tom-Tom gave his sister's shoulder a squeeze. He was the only family member she could bear, the only one she ever kept up with seeing every so often. Her parents disgusted her.

"I'm sorry, Mai," Tom-Tom said as he embraced his sister, tears falling from his eyes. Mai always looked so strong, so big, and so cool to him. Now, she looked like a fragile, broken porcelain doll. Mai managed to give her little brother a small smile and she squeezed his hand as the trio quietly left the room. Katara and Suki still stood in the corner in disbelief.

"Mai, I-" Katara began, her eyes filled with tears.

"No, it's alright. You don't need to say anything," Mai assured.

"They're wrong," Katara said, attempting to say flatly and strongly, but instead coming out as a cracked plea.

"I know. They always have been," Mai agreed, "They _always_ were."

Aang and Sokka had been flying on Appa for miles, and they could not spot a trace of the couple. Aang's nerves were in a bunch. He just wanted his son where he could see him, alongside Ursa. Losing Zuko was painful enough; he couldn't lose his flesh and blood, nor Zuko's.

"I'm sorry, Aang," Sokka finally broke the saddened silence.

"Sokka, if I have to tell you one more time that you did nothing to hurt Zuko, that nothing was your fault, that silly race had nothing to do with it-" Aang began.

"No, not that," Sokka muttered.

"Then what are you sorry for, Sokka?" Aang said glumly, exhaling deeply as he continued to keep a sharp eye.

"The way I was acting earlier, I-I got out of hand, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have shoved you against the wall like that," Sokka apologized.

"It doesn't matter, Sokka, it's alright," Aang excused.

"It's not. I had no right to get all up on you like that, to say those things. I know you cared about Zuko just as much as I did. When…when I lose someone, I…I do things I regret. When I lost my mom, I freaked out at my dad, similarly to what I did to you. And, when I lost Yue, I got all weird around Suki, you remember. And, you remember, we were kids, it was that invasion thing, with the Day of Black Sun, we were so sure of ourselves, especially me. I was a fool, always a fool. It was Azula, she was so tricky," Sokka scoffed, "She kept taunting me with lies about Suki, I'm so easily manipulated, my emotions go haywire too easily with people I care about, and I end up hurting other people I care about. You remember the way I freaked out, I ignored you and Toph, even when I was a dumb kid."

"You weren't a dumb kid then, and you aren't a dumb man now, Sokka. Stop beating yourself up. You loved your mother, you loved Yue, You love Suki, and you loved Zuko. There's nothing wrong with caring about people," Aang spoke sadly, trying not to allow his eyes to fog, as he needed to keep them wide open for any sight of his son and his girlfriend, "Besides, I'm no better. I try to bottle all my emotions away for the sake of everyone else, then it ends up even worse later."

"I never thought he'd be the first to go," Sokka choked out, "For whatever dumb reason or another, something had it in my head that Zuko was…I don't know, invincible. I just felt like he wasn't going anywhere. I still feel like that. I feel like he's back at the palace having a conniption over his 'baby out alone, scared and helpless in the woods."

"I know, it's all still surreal, I miss him, and it hurts," Aang sighed, "But we can't let Ursa be 'scared and helpless in the woods', we need to get her, and we need to get my son," Aang proclaimed, "We've looked everywhere! They were only an hour ahead of us on foot! Where are they?"

"Lin, of all the things you've dragged me into…" Kya mumbled miserably as she trudged behind her equally depressed friend.

"Except this time I have a reason, a damn good one, Kya!" Lin snapped, clenching her fists with tears in her eyes. Tenzin stood, staring at Lin, captivated by her strength and will. He'd been infatuated by her for years, but something clicked in his broken, mourning heart, it was the moment he fell in love with Lin Beifong. In the midst of his grief over their beloved Uncle Zuko, Lin, hurting just as much as the rest of them, was standing tall to rescue her best friends, leading both him and his sister. "Don't just stand there making googly eyes at me, twinkletoes! Don't you want to find your brother and the runaway fire lord?"

"Y-yeah…" Tenzin mumbled, blushing as tears still ran over his hot, pink cheek.

"We're just giving our parents more to worry about!" Kya cried, tears wet on her face as well, "We're all upset about Uncle Zuko, and we're all worried about Ursa and Bumi being missing, and now they're going to worry about where the heck we went too!"

"Kya, they wouldn't let us look, they'd order us to stay put like a bunch of helpless little animals! They saved the world much younger than us, on their own, but they think we can hardly set foot outside of their eyesight! And, what good are we sitting at home bawling? I'd rather bawl on foot, making myself useful!" Lin cried out, then she took in a deep breath, "Look, now I know I make jokes a lot. But…But losing Uncle Zuko…it's hit me…_really hard_," Lin choked, tears falling from her eyes like neither of them had seen in a long, long time, "And, I don't want to lose Ursa and Bumi next, and I don't where they could've ran away to! But I want to find them! Uncle Sokka and your dad, they're on Appa, we're on foot, and those are two totally different perspectives. We're being useful. I'm not messing around this time."

Kya stared at her friend in disbelief. Then she smiled to her encouragingly, "Alright, Lin, we'll find 'em, together," Kya affirmed as she pulled her brother and friend close, then took them by the hand, leading them ahead through the empty plane.

When Bumi spotted her, her hair was knotty and short, and tangled in her face that was buried into the mucky moss. Her body was shaking through sobs. He knelt beside her and tucked a strand of what was left of her raven hair behind her ear. She stared at her boyfriend in disbelief.

"Bumi," She whispered, a smile appearing on her downtrodden face. He kissed her cheek.

"I'm here," He assured, holding her close.

"What made you change your mind?" She whispered to him as he sighed.

"Ursa, I don't think this is what your father would want, he doesn't want the country he worked to save falling to ruin," Bumi stated, trying one more time, still torn in the middle of Ursa's convictions and what he knew was ethical.

"He didn't want me to be fire lord. You heard what he said to your mother. He said it was terrible, I think he'd rather this," Ursa insisted.

"But Ursa, your father was always about duty, and honor, he lived by it," Bumi cried.

"I'm not going back to that hellhole, Bumi," Ursa cried.

"You are going to tear your mother's heart out, Ursa," Bumi reasoned. And, she would, Mai would lose it. All she really had was Zuko, Ursa, Ty Lee, and Tom-Tom. Tom-Tom was hardly around, and he was more like a relatively close cousin because of the age gap, sure she loved him to pieces, but they saw each other sparsely. And, Ty Lee lived far away; she was still trying to reach the Fire Nation, not making it in time for Zuko's funeral. And, Mai may be cold on the outside, but she loves Ursa. Mai would literally go berserk if Ursa were to leave her life to be presumably dead. Ursa stared downward in guilt.

"Mom will be okay, she's tough," Ursa stated, "I'm not fit to rule, Bumi."

"You're going to turn into a retelling of your namesake's story. The ambiguously missing Princess Ursa, is that what you want?" Bumi asked.

"Sounds interesting, why not," Ursa groaned, "Now, tell me, Bumi, what made you come back?"

"…I love you more than I don't want to go. I love you too much to let you be stupid alone. And, I know you wouldn't let me stop you," Bumi admitted, "Plus, I couldn't let some other guy sweep you off your feet."

"Oh, shut up, Bumi," Ursa said, shoving him.

"I don't want to do this, Ursa. I agree with you, I admit it, I know how you feel, you feel trapped in that castle, but I don't know if this is right. They will never stop looking for us. If I go with you…My mother's heart will be broken, so will my father's, Ursa. Uncle Sokka, Aunt Suki, Aunt Toph, Kya, Tenzin, Lin…They all love us, they love us a lot. They will never stop searching, they won't give up, Ursa we can't do that to them! WE have to go back, we-" Bumi began convincing himself out of it, thinking of the heartache of his loved ones.

"Bumi, I will come back," Ursa stated.

"You-you would?" Bumi asked.

"I-I just need some time. I need to see things, the world. I want to do something before I have my life pledged to that throne. I swear I'll come back. Now the question is will you join me for this detour adventure, or not?" Ursa ordered.

"This is the dumbest thing, the sages will look forever, they will track you down until your ass is on that throne," Bumi cried, both of them still caught in the emotion of the past day's tragedy.

"I know," Ursa stated, "But this…this has always been my dream, Bumi, to see the world. The farthest I've ever been outside those walls is to Republic City. I will go back someday, I could never leave them forever."

"Y-you…you swear you'll come back home?" Bumi demanded an answer.

"Yes! I couldn't leave forever! I love Mom, I love all of them!" Ursa cried, tears falling off her face. Bumi stared at her tear-stung, gorgeous face. Damn, he loved her. He didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse.

"God damn it, Princess Ursa, I am going to follow you God knows where and I can't tell a soul."

* * *

Just a note on Mai's parents, if you thought they were OOC.

I got the idea of them being hostile about Zuko's reign from the Mai comic that came out recently. Mai's dad was throwing knives at pictures of Zuko's head and he had a whole group chanting about taking him down and his loyalty to Ozai, so... :P

That's where that came from! :3

Thank you all so much for your support and reviews! They encourage me to continue on with this story, and sorry if my updates seem infrequent! I have a lot of exams and stuff coming up and I have a job and such, so it can be hectic! And, thank you for the honest reviews too! I appreciate the constructive criticism. It helps me write and shape my ability, so thank you! Thanks for the compliments as well, as they warm my heart. Just thanks overall for the feedback and just for reading. It means a lot. So thank you! :D

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I hope you all have a good one!~


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